stumbling blocks
by nellysh
Summary: it's starts in Australia
1. Chapter 1

His travel-bag fell with a loud thud on the floor, which he dropped heedless. The hotel room was plain but comfortable furnished, a bed, a televisiondingsda, a wardrobe with a mirror and a small bathroom with a toilet and shower. It reminded him a little of the Burrow, simply but cozy.

He sat on the edge of the hotel bed and removes his boots - without using his hands or untying his shoelaces. When he saw in the mirror his reflection, he was amused. Bleary-eyed, pale and his now short hair stood on end. Tired, he ran his hands through his face. Then he let himself fall backwards onto the mattress. Finally, after hours in the cramped airplane he could stretch his legs. Exhausted, he closed his eyes

The room was pitch by the time he awoke. Sighing, he fumbled in his pocket after the Deluminator, which he used to turn on the light in the room. He glanced at his watch, 09.00 o'clock, Hermione told him, the time difference is 11 hours, so it was now 20.00 o'clock. Bloody Hell, he had slept only 20 minutes! For more than 30 hours (25 hours thereof in the airplane) they were now on their feet, apart from the short nap in the airplane. He set his clock for the Australian time, then he put one arm under his head and saw on the ceiling.

15 minutes later he had enough, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and cast a thoughtful glance through the window to the outside. He stretched out his hands behind the head and jumped off the bed. He climbed into his shoes and grabbed the strange room key.

Briefly wondered himself, if he should knock on the pass door to Hermione's rooms, but decided against it. From the next room, not a sound was heard, so she probably slept. He quietly left the room. At the door he whispered "Nox", and gently pulled the door shut.

**In Hermione's Hotelroom**

Hermione lay awake in her hotel bed and nervously chewed on her bottom lip. At least she was in Sydney, and now only hours separated her from a reunion with her parents. If all goes well, she would soon be able to embrace her parents. If Wendell and Monica Wilkins once again become David and Jean Granger. If her parents can forgive her, for what she did to them.

If, if, if ….. She felt the tears running down her face. She pressed her face into the pillow, so that Ron did not hear her sobbing, and cried herself into a short restless sleep.

She awoke from the snap of a door. Sleepily she looked at her alarm clock, 20.16 o'clock.

Hermione sat up and listened to Ron's room, but from there came no noises. Then she reached for her wand and whispered "Lumos". Startled, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Tired, pale, red eyes from crying, and not to mention the state of her hair. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood exhausted up. After she had splashed cold water on her face, she felt a little better.

She went to the passage door, took a deep breath and knocked. Nothing. "Ron?", she called quietly. No noises. She opened the door with "Alohomora". Cautiously she stepped into the dark room: "Ron?". As she took another step, she tripped over something, that lay on the floor. Cursing, she shouted "Lumos". In the glow of the light, she saw two things that made her very angry: 1.) the room was empty 2.) Ron's stupid bag was lying in the room.

**With Ron**

For Ron, the sound of the sea has always a calming effect. He sat down in the sand and hugged his bent legs with his arms. Tiredly he looked at the dark sea, which reminded him of Bill and Fleur's Shell Cottage. He wiped the salt from his face, which was either from his tears or the salty wind.

**With Hermione**

The more minutes went by, the more the anger turned into fear. A wizard, moreover a pureblood wizard as Ron, in an unfamiliar city, alone, under Muggles. Nervously, she kneaded her hands.

Suddenly she heard a cursing in front of the door. She tore the door open and hissed: "Where were you?" Ron, who inspired his room key suspiciously, looked up in surprise. Then his face lit up with relief. Grinning, he held up the Key: "Wrong room, no wonder it did not work!" Hermione drew him angry at his T-shirt in the room, then she grabbed her wand and cast a silencing charm.

Ron did not know, what hit him. Why was his girlfriend so angry (that she was upset, that could he see in her folded arms, the quivering of her nostrils – that was by the way very cute - furthermore she tapped the hands on her upper arms, yes, Hermione Granger was very angry, unfortunately, with him)?

Better safe than sorry. "I'm sorry", he exclaimed quickly. She narrowed eyes: "What for?" Ron smiled mischievously (yes, he knew, this was his strongest weapon): "I don't know." Barely the words left his mouth, a hurricane named Hermine broke out: "Ronald Billius Weasley, you ruthless, messy, selfish idiot!", she yelled, ", where were you!"

"Scratch that with the mischievously smile, and above all things, stay calm", thought Ron and answered calmly: "I went for a walk!" – Hermione looked at him incredulously: " .FOR. ? Alone, in an unfamiliar city, are you insane?" – "I'm not insane, " he snapped back, "but I'm a grown man" His girlfriend snorted: "A grown man, huh! You're acting more like a schoolboy". – "And you act just like my mum!", he yelled back. Hermione flushed with anger. "You know what.. Never mind!", she turned and left the room. "I wish you also a good night", Ron called after her. The passage door slammed shut behind her with a loud bang.

Ron counted "one" he held up his thumb "two" and adds his forefinger to the thumb, but before he could say three, the door was pushed open, and a calmer Hermione standing in the doorway: "You're tired, I'm…. You count me out?" Ron quickly put his hands in his pockets: "No!" Hermiones calmness flew out the window: "Don't lie to me, you've counted me out!"

Ron sighed and raised his hands "Listen, I'm tired of fighting, tomorrow we can talk in peace, now let's go to bed", he blushed instantly and stuttered embarrassed, "I mean, not together, uh, you in your bed and …" – "No" – "What?" Ron shouted in a high voice. Now it was Hermione's turn to blush and stutter: "I don't mean NO to the, uh, sleeping arrangements." Ron looked at her blankly. She ran a nervous hand through her hair: "You've got me confused".

Suddenly she snapped her fingers: "Now it occurs to me again! Why counted you me out?" –

Ron was silent. Hermione stomped her foot: "Why, Weasley!" Ron pointed at her feet: "Your behavior is very adult!"

Without realizing, the two went further to each other. "And counting does adults?", Hermione ranted. – "You want to know, why I have you counted out - because I knew, you come back, before I count to three. You, Granger, always want to have the last word!", Ron shouted back.

Now they stood facing each other. "Bastard" "You are stubborn" "and you are not?" And then Hermione leapt into his arms and they kissed as if there were no tomorrow. They stopped only to take a breath. Ron stumbled backwards through the room, Hermione's legs wrapped around his waist and his hands under her bottom, until his knee bumped at the edge of the hotel bed.

Again he let himself fall backwards onto the mattress. Hermione on top of him. He could not help laughing: "Sleeping, what was it again, ah yes, arrangements,!" Hermione giggled. Then they were silent and looked at each other lovingly. Ron stroked one of her locks behind her ear. She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly.

Their kisses grew more passionate, when Ron sudden felt, that his girlfriend tried to open his trousers. He stopped her intention, by holding her hand. "What you are doing?", he asked hoarsely. She was panting, flushed, her hair was disheveled and her grin was more embarrassed as seductive, but Merlin, he swore, to him she never looked more beautiful. "I think, that is pretty obvious! I want, what you want!", she whispered in his ear. Ron closed his eyes and swallowed a big lump. "We can't", he blurted. Hermione froze.

He opened his eyes and looked at her: "I promised my mum, to take no advantage of our time in Australia," Hermione looked at him horrified: "Please don't tell me, that you're with Molly talked above, well, about it!" – Ron smiled sheepishly: "Sort of, sorry". His girlfriend rolled over and put her hands over her face "Oh, God!" In order to lighten the situation, he stroked his chin and smirked: "Besides..", she looked at him through her spread fingers, " besides I'm unshaven." Hermione slapped his chest: "That has not prevented you from snogging me". Ron became serious: "But the most important reason is, our first time", he turned red again, "should be with stuff such as candles, a nice dinner, music, you know, just romantic."

Hermione froze "You mean my first time and your first time or ", she pointed to him and herself, "our first time". Ron looked confused: "I really need a book to understand the language of women!" She stared at him impatiently. Suddenly the penny dropped. "Oh, you mean, if I am still…" Hermione nodded vigorously. Ron sat up and scratched his neck awkwardly and said, with red ears, but in a solemn voice: I'm, Ronald Billius Weasley", he threw himself into a puffed pose à la Gilderoy Lockhart, "a Gryffindo, I'm still so innocent, let me put it in the words of my mum, like an ungathered flower." he chuckled.

Instead of laughing - like Ron had been expected – Hermione had tears in her eyes. "I've said something wrong?", he asked in concern. Beaming she leaned forward and touched his nose gently with hers. "It's all right, actually perfect!" , she leaned back and gazed at him lovingly. Then she jumped off the bed and walked towards the passage door.

Ron watched her with an open mouth: "Hermione?".

She stooped to pick up her wand, which she had dropped there , and cried: "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite, my ungathered flower."

"But we can still snogging, you know, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, " Ron stuttered.

Hermione waved shortly over her shoulder and closed the door behind her.

Ron stared in bewilderment at the closed door: "Shit!"

**In Hermione's Room:**

Hardly had the door shut, Hermione had cast already a silencing charm on the room. Then she shrieked with joy and jumped on the bed. Like a little kid she bounces up and down. "He has not slept with her, he is a virgin". She laughed with happiness and sang at the top of her voice Madonna's song "like a virgin".

Later, when she calmed down a bit, she remembered with a smile on her face, what he wished for the their first time. A nice meal, (typically!), candles and music.

**Somewhat later in Ron's room: **

Ron came after a very long and very cold shower out of the bathroom. Searching he looked around for his bag. Aha, Hermione had put the unpacked bag neatly under the bed. He shook his head and grinned "Typically!". He was about to open the wardrobe, in order to get a pajama bottoms, when he heard behind him a cough. He turned in surprise: "Hermione?" A flushed Hermione stood before him, "I knocked, but apparently you did not hear me" He was only too aware, that he was wearing only a towel, and his ears reddened. "Silencing charm", he croaked hoarsely. "Oh, yes, the silencing charm", she whispered sheepishly.

Ron swallowed: "Do you need help?" – "Uh, yes, you could come to my room please". –

"Okay," he rubbed his neck, "I'll just quickly put on my pajamas". – "Uh, I'm waiting on the other side" – "I just hope it's not a spider incident", he joked. She shook her head and pointed to the open door: "Then I w ..will going." – "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute!"

When Hermione had left his room, Ron hit his head against the door from the wardrobe: "I hope it's not a spider incident, what was I just thinking?" He took his pajama bottoms out of the wardrobe, glanced toward the door and dressed quickly.

The door to Hermione's hotel room was slightly ajar: "Hermione", called Ron questioningly – "Come in". Ron opened the door and stopped dead in the doorway. The room was lit only by the flickering of candles, which were distributed everywhere, and a radio was playing love songs. "What do you think?", whispered a voice beside him. He turned to his beaming girlfriend: "I, I don't know what to say!" Hermione, who had her hands behind her back, smiled: "Okay, we have candles, music, wait, there is still something missing, "she took her hands to the front, "tarara, nice food", and holding out a chocolate bar. "How?", he asked, speechless.

Hermione laughed: "They have here in the hotel very nice staff. I borrowed the radio from Susan, the maid. The candles are still left over from Christmas, Tom, the old man of the registration, gave them to me. And finally, I pulled the candy bar from a vending machine. So, voila." She beamed at him. She went a step forward, so that she stood directly in front of him: "Enough Romantic?"

Ron lifted Hermione in his arms and closed the door quietly with his foot.

**The next morning, in Hermione's Room**

Hermione lay sideways in the bed, her left hand comfortably under her head, and looked at her sleeping boyfriend. She stretched out her right hand and gently stroked with the fingertip of her forefinger his nose, his lips, his stubble…. she sighed in contentment. His naked chest (in her eyes a very manly chest) was rising and falling with each breath. He muttered in his sleep, and she had to hold her hand to her mouth, in order not to laugh. A lock of his red gorgeous hair fell onto his forehead, which she gently stroked to the side.

Sometime later

Ron was awakened by a humming beside him. He stretched his arms above his head without opening his eyes and yawned. The humming stopped abruptly and a voice whispered "Good morning, love". Ron opened his eyes immediately "Love"? Then he remembered everything, the candles, the kissing, the love songs, the kissing…. He turned his head to the side, where his girlfriend sat cross-legged (unfortunately already dressed) beside him on the bed. She looked engrossed in a spread-out map, probably from Sydney, which lay in front of her. Tiredly he rubbed his eyes. "Exhausted, " asked she, without looking up from the map.

Still pretty sleepy, he replied: "Yeah, the flight was quite exhausting". Suggestively she wiggled her eyebrows: "I think that is more likely to blame the last night or rather our, mh, activities".

"Hermione!", croaked Ron shocked. She laughed heartily "What? It's true! And you know what, we are now gathering flowers!" From laughing tears ran down her face. Seemingly insulted Ron crossed his arms over his chest. "When I tell my mother, that you seduced her Ronnie.." Hermione laughter stopped abruptly: You don't dare!" Ron looked casually at his fingernails of the left hand: "You want to bet?" Suddenly she grinned mischievously," The last night had at least something good" - Arrogantly Ron stroked his hair: "Now you know, that your boyfriend is passionate, sexy…" – "insatiable" – Ron saw dreamily at the ceiling: "affectionately, fondly, lovingly.." Hermione giggled: "Please stop, so much self-praise is unbearable. And besides, I really meant, that I now know your weak points". And she tickled his right waist.

**About 10 Minutes later**

"So, enough of the fun – for now" she added, as she saw Ron's disappointed face, "get up and go shower, my lazy fellow". Ron blushed. "What?", she asked. – "I'm, uh, naked!" –

She rolled her eyes: "I know, what's the matter? – "My pajama bottoms are lying on the chair and.. " – She stared at him with open mouth. – "Could you please turn around!" – "Honestly, after last night, you don't need to feel ashamed in front of me!" Nevertheless she turned to the side. Ron jumped out of the bed, grabbed his pants and was dressed in seconds. As he eases around, his gaze met with a smirking Hermione in the mirror: "Nice bottom!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Day One "Physical Fitness Test" (500 m swim, 42 pushups, 8 pull-ups, 50 sit-ups, 1.5 miles cross-country race run)**

Hermione's Opposite watched with amusement, as she nibbled on her lower lip and tapped with the finger of her right hand on the desk. He counted silently to 10, and indeed, it followed the expected look at her wristwatch. Harry laughed softly. Hermione looked questioningly up from the file. Harry pointed to the right hand and asked smirking: "Nervous?". Hermione closed her hand quickly into a fist and sighed: "This stupid contact ban - if I could just speak briefly to him. You know, to see, if he's OK." Harry leaned forward and pressed her to a fist clenched hand reassuringly: "It be all right".

She looked at the frame with the picture of her boyfriend and whispered: "I hope so!". Harry cleared his throat and asked mischievous: "So, what are your plans for the free week after Ron's exams?", He leaned back in his chair and looked dreamily at the ceiling, "I know a really romantic hotel.." Hermione took the frame in her hands and ran her hands gently over the picture: "Actually the week is already allocated, you know, with flat-hunting, buying furniture, etc."

Shaking his head, her friend stood up from his chair: "Tsss, you could use the week certainly better", he winked, "I mean, you've him seen in the last three years, well maybe 12 - 15 times, also you guys have a lot, mh, to catch!". Hermione blushed: "Harry!" He waved cheerfully and quickly left the office. She glanced at the picture and whisper tenderly: "A lot, lot to catch!"

Ron could feel every bone in his body and wanted only one thing sleep, sleep, so he removes his trainers and dropped in his full sports outfit on his bed.

"He, Ron, " Michael Clarkson, his roommate nudged him, "come on, time for eating!" – "I wnt o fod ..ly slep!" Ron replied. Michael pulled Ron's head up by the hair: "Could you repeat that, please, I could you with the pillow in the mouth namely not understand!"–

"No food, just sleep" Ron muttered, half asleep. Michael grinned and let Ron's head fall back on the pillow.

**Day two "Survive and strike through" (Teambuilding, the common solving problems, under continuous stress and time pressure): **

David Granger saw engrossed on the chessboard, while he smoked his pipe comfortably: "I just can not figure out, how he has set me the last time checkmated!" His wife laughed: "You say that after every game", then she looked at her daughter, who obviously was lost in her thoughts. "Not an interesting book?", she asked gently. Hermione was startled out of her thoughts: "Oh, yes, very interesting!", but after seeing the knowing glance of her mother, she admitted: "I can't concentrate!" She snapped the book shut and watched the fire. "How long takes this test usually?", her father asked curiously. – "24 - 28 hours", Hermione glanced up from the fire and added quietly, "without food or breaks!" Jean Granger cast a look at the mantel clock, 20.00 o'clock, still 2 hours.

The warm water of the shower tingled on his body. In the adjacent shower Michael sang with top of his lungs: "We are the champions, my friends, and we will keep on fighting, till the ….." Ron had to laugh and then both sang: "We are the champions, we are the champions.."

**Day three "Concealment, Disguise, Stealth and Tracking" (with lightning-fast friend and foe identification, dueling, interrogate)**

There was the usual chaos in the burrow, although today only with nine adults and two small children. Molly watched with shaking head her son George: "Honestly, another piece of cake?" George looked at his mother with puppy dog eyes. Angela grinned: "He could easily eat the whole cake!" George replied with a full mouth: "Don't be envious!"

His girlfriend whispered conspiratorially to Hermione: "I swear, one day, Ron and George eat us out of house and home!" Hermione just smiled. George pushed her slightly with the elbow: "Speaking of cake, concealment and stealth, that should be for our Ronniekin only be a piece of cake, he!"

"That was only a piece of cake, right!", Michael yawned. Ron replies tiredly: "The worst part is coming tomorrow!" – "Just one more day…" and then only loud snoring was to hear from both.

**Day four "the theoretical part/psychological test (Retentiveness, Intelligence (IQ), -Spatial imagination, Practical understanding, Concentration) **

When the elevator door opened, Arthur was faced with a dead-tired Hermione. "Long day?", he asked sympathetically. She nodded and rubbed her forehead "It's only three more days, then I have a week off!" – "Harry said, Ron and you want then look for a flat?" – Hermione joked wearily: "You have no idea, where we can find a cheap but cozy flat?", she rolled her eyes and added, "Ron would love to live near the station.." – "But you don't!", Arthur smiled understandingly. Hermione snorted: "Definitely not! Near the ministry would be nice." – "I'll ask around!" Arthur promised and waved goodbye as he left the elevator.

Ron was sitting dazed on the bench in the canteen of the Academy. Except him, none came from the examination room yet. "Merlin," he shut his eyes and gulped, "that's not good!"

**Last Day "Discussion of the result and personal final interview with the test commission"**

Percy stuck his head through the door: "Have you already heard anything from Ron?" Hermione crumpled the draft law to a paper ball (her 10 attempt to bring a sensible thoughts on paper) and threw it in the direction of Percy, who avoided the paper ball cleverly. "This probably means No?!", he laughed.

Ron's fellow students wait in silence for him, because he was still in the exam room. Tony grinned: "Merlin, I'm glad my last name starts with a 'B'", I don't want to be tested as the last!" Suddenly the door opened and a pale, but overjoyed Ron stood before them. Michael asked only: "Passed?" – "YES!" Ron shouted and stretched his clenched fist high. Michael grinned: "You know what that means!" and then all recruits screamed together: "Party!"

Their training supervisor, Auror Sean O'Malley watched his students laughing. Tony called out to him: "Join us too, Auror O'Malley, I issue you a Fire-Whiskey!" Ron smirked and slapped Tony on the shoulder: "And that's saying something, for a Scotsman!"

Auror O'Malley winked cheerfully: "Maybe later! First off, I congratulate you all for the passed examination!" A huge cheer broke out. O'Malley waved Ron to the side: "Auror Weasley, before you celebrate with the others, I want to speak to you – and I promise, very briefly" Ron nodded in agreement.

Hermione looked expectantly up, when someone knocked on her office door, disappointingly it was not her secretary with a message from Ron, but Minister Kingsley Shackebolt. "Can I come in?", he asked kindly. She tried to get up, to welcome him, but he declined.

"Here!", he placed a piece of paper with an address on the desk. She looked at him quizzically. Kingsley pointed to the note: "A good friend of my family is seeking a tenant for his flat, which is in a good location, about 5 minutes from the Ministry, already free and renovated. The rent is indeed not quite low, but with your's and now Ron's Auror salary this should not be a problem!" Hermione took the note and glanced at the address: "Actually, that ….. wait" , she drew a deep breath, "s.. said you just.." Kingsley smiled slyly: "Yes, he has passed!" Hermione jumped from her chair, which fell backwards, and hugged the surprised Kingsley.

**Two days later, Auror-Academy**

The banquet hall of the Auror-Academy gradually filled with family members, friends of the recruits and official wizards/witches from the ministry. Ginny nudged Hermione and pointing at Professor McGongalls. George whispered to the two: "Look, the old dragon is also here " – "George!", scolded his mother – "Sorry, mum!". Hermione observed curiously the hall. The walls were decorated with flags, in the front row of the Tribune sat, among others, Minister Shackebolt with his secretary Percy and Professor McGonagall, on the left side of the stage were 15 chairs placed, in 3 rows of 5 chairs, in the in middle of the Tribune stood a lectern and on the right side were two chairs placed next to each other.

Suddenly resounded a bugle call and it became quiet in the hall. Through the side door came the Head of the Auror Office, Gawain Robards, and the training supervisor, Auror Sean O'Malley, onto the stage, both were greeted with loud applause. Gawain Roards stepped to the lectern.

He waited until the applause died down:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome with us the new Junior-Aurors of 2002," he turned sideways and shouted: "Bailey, Tony!" with that, a grinning blond young man came as well through the side door onto the stage. He was greeted by loud audience applause. His supervisor fortified solemnly a badge on his suit jacket and shook his hand firmly. Then Gawain Robards handed him a certificate and shook his hand too. The young Auror waved proudly to the audience, and walked to the chairs on the left side.

Gawain Robards turned back to the lectern. One after another were called by name, always welcomed in the same way as Tony Bailey. As 14 chairs were already occupied with the Junior-Aurors, Hermione's heart began to beat rapidly. Harry takes her trembling hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Grateful she smiled at him.

Finally Robards shouted: "Weasley, Ronald-Billius" and then he came with firm steps, shining blue eyes and his famous smirk, dressed in a black suit, dark blue shirt and black tie, onto the stage. Next to her she heard the sobs of his mother, a whistling and howling, probably from his siblings and Harry. Hermione had only eyes for her Ron.

After his supervisor fortified solemnly the badge on his suit jacket, but in addition to his certificate, Gawain Robards presented him with a narrow wooden box.

Ron turned to the audience, waved short and walked to the others, who were standing in front of their chairs. All Junior-Aurors glanced to the left, until Gawain Robards nodded to them. Silently they sat down.

While G. Robards and later Sean O'Malley kept a moving speech, Hermione watched her boyfriend, as he opened the wooden box and admired at the contents looked. His seat neighbor, a young man with dark hair, looked curiously into the box and whispered something to Ron, whereupon he chuckled and handed him the box. Lost in thought, he looked into the audience. Suddenly their gaze met and there was only Ron and Hermione. She mouthed "I love you" and he put his left hand on his heart.

Auror O'Malley stepped from the podium and took his place on the chair. A pompous lady came on stage and sang a celebratory tune. George snorted, whereupon his mother him on the arm slapped. The performance has been honored with polite applause, and the lady disappeared through the side door. "Merlin Pants, I thought, she gives an encore!", muttered George eases.

Now Sean O'Malley stepped again to the lectern: "Ladies and gentlemen, before we meet in the entrance area, to celebrate with a little communal drink, we want to end the ceremony with a maintained tradition. The last word has as always our valedictorian student!" He turned to the completion students and called: "Auror Ronald Billius Weasley!", then he stepped aside and clapped his hands. Hermione looked speechless, as her boyfriend without hesitation went to the lectern. "Bloody Hell", whispered George impressed, "our Ronniekin".

Ron pulled a piece of paper from his suit pocket and place it in front of him on the desk, then he cleared his throat briefly and looked into the audience: "Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family members," he saw in his notes. As he wanted to continue, the silence was interrupted by a loud sob. Ron hesitated briefly, but then he looked up and grinned mischievously: "and **mum**!". The whole audience started laughing, while his mum sheepishly hid her face in her husband's shoulder.

Ron waited until his mother had calmed and continued more seriously:

"My greatest dream was, when I was a little boy (an angry glance from his mother, prevented George from a comment), to become a famous Quidditschspieler", he glanced up with a grin, " preferably by the Chudley Cannons. But then I met my best friend, whose dream was to become an Auror, and I thought: hell yes, Auror – that would be cool. The years and encounter with Aurors,", he took a deep breath, "as Nymphadora Tonks and Alastor Moody changed my view, but for me there was never any doubt, that I wanted to become an Auror, only strengthened by the thought of revenge," he paused briefly and continued in a husky voice, "revenge for my brother Fred, for Professor Albus Dumbledore, Tonks, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Dobby, Colin Creeveys, and for the many others.

I swore, that never again should a baby grow up without the parents, never again a mother must sacrifice herself for her child, never again, a mother needs to bury her child, never again a Muggle is persecuted for the origin.

Exactly three years ago, I was one step closer to my destination, and with me – he pointed with the hand to his fellow students – were dozens of other men and women, who had the same destination. Almost every one of them had lost a relative, friend or loved one in the last war.

So it was no wonder, that in our first weeks the fights and duels during training were characterized with rage. After a particularly, mh, savage duel", he rubbed his neck embarrassed, "one of our trainers, Auror Ryan Kerrigan, had enough. We had to gather in the Hall of fame, with all the pictures of the Aurors, who sacrificed their lives for others, like Alice and Frank Longbottom, Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody.

Auror Kerrigan told us, anger is the biggest enemy of a Aurors. Then he asked one of the students, I think it was Tony, to read aloud the words, which are written under every picture in the hall. The words are 'servare vitas'. Then he told us, that these words "to save lives" mean.

I think, it was me, who then said, that's why we're here. Our trainer simply replied, no, you are here, in order to kill, but your task should be to save lives! And then he pointed to the pictures and said earnestly, that each of them has followed this motto." Ron looked up and smiled briefly, "Then we had to run 6 Miles in the rain!"

He became serious again: "And every time one of us had during the training a low point, and wanted to exercise, a glimpse into the Hall of fame brought us back on track!" He pointed to his badge "'servare vitas', that is now our only task!" Ron put his notes back in the pocket, concluded by saying: "Thank you!" and stepped away from the podium.

For a moment it was so quiet you could have a pin drop to the ground to hear, but then a fanatical applause broke out. Hermione, who beamed proudly, and the others jumped to their feet and cheered enthusiastically. Ron blushed embarrassed.

**Late at night, at the burrow**

Most of the guests, such as Professor McGonagall, Kingsley, Percy and his wife, had already left the party. Hermione was sitting sideways on the lap of her boyfriend and admired once again his gift, a wand (mahogany, 9 ½, dragon heartstring), while he animatedly with Harry and George chatted. Ginny leaned her head wearily against the shoulder of her boyfriend and yawned. Harry twisted his head slightly to her and whispered: "Shall we go?" She nodded in agreement. He placed his hands on the table and said softly: "Alright, my lady is tired, I think it is time to go!" He slapped Ron's shoulder: "I see you in a week at the Ministry, Auror Weasely", and salute the other.

Ginny gave her brother a kiss on his cheek "Good job, big brother." and waved. Then both disappeared into the floo network.

Molly came with a cake into the living room, which she proudly in front of Ron placed: "Here, your favorite cake!" Ron shook his head and slapped his stomach: "Mum, I'm really full," but when he saw her disappointing glance, he quickly added, "but I will it with me!"

A beaming Molly took the cake from the table, to pack it, although George was about to take a piece. He saw after his mum with an open mouth. Hermione got up from Ron's lap and followed Molly in the kitchen.

"Molly, it's okay if we got too? My parents wanted to congratulate Ron, and it is already late?", she asked Molly timidly. George shouted from the living room: "Who it believes!" – "George!", scolded his mother, then she hugged Hermione motherly: "Please give them our kind regards!"

Hermione pulled her boyfriend up from the chair: "Come lazy fur, we have to go!" George beat Ron with his fist on the shoulder and whispered in his ear : "have fun with Miss Granger!" Ron grabbed his suit jacket and hugged his mother, who broke out in tears. His father, who had fallen asleep in his chair hours ago, woke up. Ron gave him over the head of his mum a help-seeking glance. Arthur took Molly out Ron's arms and mouthed to him: "go!"

His girlfriend waited before the house. She grinned and took his hand: "Side-Along?" Ron squeezed her hand and nodded, smiling. With a small faint pop they arrive at… "Where are we?" Ron asked, surprised. Hermione beamed: "That, my love, could be our home!" She grabbed his hand: "I'll show you around!"

**After the tour**

Ron was standing at the window of the living room and admired the view. Hermione hugged him from behind and leaned her head on his shoulder. She whispered into his ear: „And, what do you think?" He turned his head very slightly, to look at her lovingly: "I think we, I mean Kingsley, have found our Flat!" Hermione shrieked and kissed him on the cheek in full fervor.

Then she stepped back and grinned mischievously: "I have another surprise for you, I'll be right back!" She hurriedly went into the next room and came back with her bag. Ron watched curiously, as she two bottles of butterbeer, a large plastic bag, a strange thing (to which a hose was attached), a blanket, a pillow, bed sheets, candles and a radio – she gave him a salacious glance and whispered: "For my very romantic boyfriend" (he rolled his eyes), unpacked.

Ron pointed to the strange objects and asked: "What do we with these?" She pulled out of the plastic bag a kind of rubber blanket, which she spread on the floor: "This is an air mattress", then she held up the thing with the hose, "and this is a foot pump. With the foot pump you can inflate the air mattress. See!", Hermione stuck the end of the hose into the air mattress and then stood with one foot on the pump. She stepped with her foot on and off the pump. Her boyfriend saw fascinated, how the mattress filled with air. "Wow, Muggle's are awesome! Let me help you." He pulled his suit jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. While Ron the mattress inflated, Hermione took Ron's jacket from the floor and laid it neatly. 5 Minutes later she exclaimed: "Stop, enough air. So, now you have to be careful pulling the hose out of the mattress and quickly close the valve. Perfect! Ready is our bed!" Ron shot her and then the mattress a skeptical view: "Are you sure, that we can sleep on it?" She nodded happily.

A still not convinced Ron lay himself tentatively down on the mattress. Meanwhile Hermione distributed and lit the candles. She watched with amusement from the corners of her eyes, how her boyfriend from one side to the other turned. Ron was now lying on his back, his hands clasped behind the head, and looked relaxed at the ceiling. She knelt with a grin beside the mattress and stroked tenderly with her fingertips his face. Then she leaned forward and kissed him gently. Ron returned the kiss passionately, while he caressed her back with one hand.

Abruptly Ron broke the kiss and he asked, panting: ""What about your parents? Surely they are waiting. " Between little kisses all over his face she muttered: "I lied – _kiss_ – my parents – _kiss_ – are in France – _long kiss_ – on vacation!" Ron stopped Hermione by holding her shoulders. Apparently shocked he repeated: "You lied to my mother?" She grinned sheepishly and replied in a husky voice: "a half lie, my parents really want to congratulate you - by me!" They both looked at each other and began to laugh heartily.

As the laughter died, Hermione loosened Ron's tie and whispered seductively: "You look in a suit totally sexy.. " – "And you in your dress, Merlin, I'm a goner" Ron interrupted her. – "Thank you, but today is all about you," she threw his tie carelessly into the room and opened the top button of his shirt, "my handsome", the second button, "sexy", the the third button, "strong", the fourth button, "stunning", the fifth button, "Auror", the sixth button, "Weasley", the last button.

**A while later (the candles were burnt) **

Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssss sssssssss

Hermione mumbled sleepily: "Love, can you hear that too?" Suddenly she felt, how Ron was shaking with laughter under her. He snickered "I think, the air mattress is leaky!". "Hmm, okay, love you!", she replied calmly.


	3. Chapter 3

**In the living room from the Burrow, about mid-April**

Since the end of the war it was the tradition, that Molly Weasley as well the girlfriends of her sons, now their wives, and her daughter Ginny for the 'widows and orphans of the war dead'-Helps Fund collected.

"Audrey, do you care about the clothing collection like last year?" Audrey nodded, Hermione looked questioningly at Molly "Molly, you bake cakes and pies for the Victory Day?" Molly replied sadly: "As every year." Ginny squeezed her mother's hand consolingly. They were all silent for a few minutes, aware that it was not only a day of victory. Molly wiped with her apron a tear from her corner of her eyes. She forced a laugh "This year we have to come up with something special, ultimately it is the 10th anniversary, any ideas?"

"Ron has recently mumbled something of a charity Quidditch match, I'll ask him today after precise information." Hermione wrote 'charity-match?' down in her list. Angelina saw grinning in the round "I would have also a great idea! What do you think of a calendar with photos of employees of the Ministry." Hermione shook her head vehemently "On no account I let myself be photographed in any way for a calendar!" Angelina leaned forward, as if she wanted to divulge a big secret and whispered "I meant of the male employees! The proceeds from the sale of the calendar would flow into the fund."

Ginny snorted "You know, that my father as well my brothers Ron and Percy are also employed in the Ministry?" Angelina winked cheerfully "And Harry and many others, I know!" Audrey laughed "I would so buy such a calendar!" And so Hermione wrote into her list 'volunteer for a calendar?'.

"Under no circumstances!", Ron replied to Hermione's plea. His wife gave him a flattering look and pleaded: "Oh, come on, love, it's for charity," – Her husband folded his arms across his chest. – "And Ginny said, that Harry is totally on fire for the idea!" – He replied stubbornly: "But your husband not". She caressed his arm and complimented: "I'm so proud that my husband should get a page in the calendar". He pointed to her dress "For the calendar-photo all the effort, the dress, the delicious food…". Hermione threw the dish towel on the kitchen table, cried: "Fine, then don't, you stubborn donkey" and left the kitchen. Ron called after her: "Exactly, never ever!" She shouted back: "We can still ask Cormac, who also works for the Ministry!"

**The next day**

Ron reluctantly walked into the Photo-Studion of Margaret Heatherton, which already meet him with outstretched hand, beaming: "Hi Ronald, I am delighted that you take a part in this project". Ron shook her hand and looked around with interest: "Wow, so big I would have never imagined your studio!" Margeret gazed proudly around "There's also a lot of work, and of course, galleons, in it. So, Ron, you have a choice between two months, " she glanced at a list, "January or August!"

**In the Ministry, a few days later**

At first, Hermione thought nothing wrong, as her various employees of the Ministry, grinned, winked and waved at her, but as Florence, one of her colleagues, in passing seductively whisper: "Very nice photo!" she asked herself: "What's going on and above all, which photo?"

With Harry and Ron in the canteen

Harry looked from his little piece of apple cake to Ron's great piece. Ron grinned and whispered: "I know, that's been the whole day. First Melinda 'Ice block' Thanner of the archives greeted me with a Good-Morning" – "Melinda can talk?" Harry quipped. – "Then various employees waved to me, and now Helga gives me a larger piece of apple cake as her favorite Harry James Potter!" He hesitated and asked panicked: "Harry, I don't have a dirty spot on my face, or have I?" Harry snickered: "No, you don't, this time!" Facilitates Ron took a large piece of his apple cake. "Hmm, Auror Weasely?" Next to the table stood a young woman, holding a piece of paper in her hand. Ron looked at her quizzically "Yes, what can I do for you?" She blushed and whispered shyly: "Could you give me an autograph, please?" Ron looked at her with an open mouth and then croaked: "Autograph? From me?". The young woman nodded. Ron carefully took the quill and sat proud his signature on the piece of paper. The woman beamed and walked backwards, the whole time looking at Ron, out of the canteen. Ron turned to Harry speechless.

With Hermoine, later

Hermione angrily stormed into the joke shop of her brother-in-laws 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes'. George greeted her with a smile "Hello Herm ..." - His sister-in-law interrupted him with a furious gesture "Where is your wife?" He pointed wordlessly to the upper floor and watched curiously as she stomped up. "Hm, maybe I should go for safety after her ", he thought absently, but then he shook his head, grinning "Better not. The last time when Hermione was so angry, Ron had afterwards little scars on the hands!"

Angela was engrossed in the accounting from the joke shop, when something was thrown with a loud bang on her desk. Surprised she took the something, upon closer examination, a calendar, in her hand and looked questioningly her sister-in-law, who seemed to boil with rage. "Scroll to August", she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh!", whispered Angelina. "Oh – that's all you have to say?", yelled Hermione and pointed to the photo of her husband, who in the photo wearing a white shirt, that was half of his pants, under an open brown jacket, a hand casually in dark blue jeans, in the other hand he held a broom, his hair disheveled and with a sweet-sheepish smile (and in Hermione's eyes bedroom-smile).

Angela leaned back and turned the page on the calendar: "I don't understand your excitement, those are beautiful picture, look, Harry in a tux….". – "I'm not interested in the photo from Harry or the others!" raged Hermione. – "Please calm down, Hermione", Angelina's eyes twinkled, "I think, Margaret did a really good job, so the calendar is surely a best seller. And don't forget, the proceeds are for a good cause!"

Hermione snatched the calendar from the Angela's hand: "Yes, all witches of England will drool over my husband in August!" Angelina giggled: "And a few will probably be cut out his photo, for their lockers!" Hermione looked at her in horror. Angelina raised her hands: " I'm only joking!".

With Harry and Ron, again

Ron watched amazed, how Harry hid behind a pillar. He crept up behind him and clapped him on the shoulder. Startled, Harry turned around and sighed with relief, that he was only faced with his Ron. " A cup of tea?", Ron asked him sympathetically. Harry nodded: "Yes, but in YOUR office!".

Ron gave his friend a cup of tea "you are probably on the run from the lovelorn women, I swear, today they are like crazy. Look" , he held up a piece of paper, "I found this in my pocket 'send me an owl, so that we can meet, Carla S.'" Shaking his head, he crumpled the note and threw it in the trash. "If your wife hears thereof.., " Harry looked at Ron meaningful, who defending his hands raised "Hey, I'm innocent, it's almost as if all witches are under a love potion!". Both grinned at each other and sipped their tea.

Ron leaned back in his chair "So, Harry, what do you think of the charity game-idea, I was thinking, like 'the Wolfhounds versus the world's best Quidditch player'." Ron saw dreamily into the distance. – "I think that's a super idea! ", pulled the cheerful voice of Kingsley Ron from his daydream, "and I would even go a step further, " Kingley leaned against the door frame to Ron's office, "the game could take place on the 2. May. An appropriate setting for an appropriate event." –

Ron beamed: "Then 'The Wolfhounds' have exceptionally not to play before a handful of people, and when Harry", he nodded in Harry's direction and grinned mischievously, "holds his annual speech, he would have a greater audience!". Harry did not look enthusiastic: "Ha, ha, very funny!" Kingsley laughed: "And you, too, Ron!" Ron paled: "What?" Kingsley straightened up and smiled: "Eventually we must allow the organizer to speak, what do you mean, Harry?". Harry roared with laughter, while Ron his forehead repeatedly beat on his desk.

**Inside Ron and Hermione's Weasley Home, a few days later**

"My son is asleep and your daughter still requires a good-night kiss from her mother, otherwise she cannot sleep!" Hermione, who knelt in front of the clothes dresser, grinned at her husband: "Your son, but my daughter?" – "Hugo is totally my son, with these my sleeping habits, but Rose..." He sighed dramatically, then he threw himself onto the bed, which earned him a stern look of his wife. He leaned on his elbows and and watched curiously as his wife things from the dresser into a cardboard box sorted: "What are you doing?" – "I sorted out clothes, that we no longer wear, Audrey collects clothes for charity." – Her husband groaned: "Charity", he lay back and murmured quietly, "that word haunts me! Hey, Hermione, I think, I have a fever. Roxanne has chicken pox and I could have infected me!", he looked hopefully at his wife. Hermione calmly sorted clothing and asked incidental: "Did not you get already chickenpox as a child?" – "Hm, yes!" – "Then you're lucky, you only get chicken pox once in a lifetime" Disappointed, he pressed a pillow over his face and shouted: "Shit" , fortunately muffled by the pillow.

As Ron put the pillow aside, he saw that his wife had left the room, probably to give Rose her good-night kiss. He looked thoughtfully at the box with the sorted clothes, when he suddenly had an epiphany. He jumped off the bed, poked his head out of the open door, listened briefly, and then closed the door quietly. Then he pulled out of the wardrobe one suit-bag dress, which he opened with as little noise as possible. After 'it' was done, he pushed the bag with his feet under the bed and exulted "Finally!".

When he had just shut the cardboard, he heard his wife's voice behind him: "What are you doing?" Guilt, he turned to face her: "I've just checked, that you don't give away my Cannon-Shirts". Hermione saw at him suspiciously: "I hope, that you have not done so your beautiful blue sweater into the box?!" – Inwardly groaned Ron "why did not I think of that itchy thing!" and protested loudly: "No way, it is, after all a gift from your mother." Hermione opened the lid and glanced into the box (your husband is not that stupid!) and then strolled to the wardrobe. Searchingly, she ran her index finger over Ron's clothes. She turned to him and asked "Where is the suit bag.." – Ron swallowed – "with the kilt".

Defeat Ron sat on the edge of the bed: "You know and I know that I will wear that thing never again!" and added grudgingly , "It was bad enough that I had to wear it once." Hermione seated herself sideways on his lap and laid her head on his chest: " Firstly, it's a kilt and not a thing and secondly, surely you remember, that we left the wedding party before the cutting of the cake". Ron snorted: "Seamus was pissed, after all I was one of the witnesses!" She chuckled: "Yes, I was in a hurry, to get you home!" – He smirked: "And I did not get much sleep that night" – "And that was because of your kilt. You are sexy, but in a kilt you need a weapons permit." She looked up at her husband: "You are my Rob Roy!" Ron looked at her questioningly."A Scottish folk hero with red hair, " she explained. Ron waggled his eyebrows suggestively: "A Scottish folk hero, eh!" She slapped him playfully on the chest: "Since your son and my daughter sleep soundly, what do you think, to get the kilt back out of the cardboard box, " she placed her arm around his neck and kissed him tenderly, "so that you can slip into the role of Rob Roy ", and added seductively, "and I play Mary MacGregor, his wife!"

**Inside the Potter-Home, the next morning**

In the Potter's House was always chaos, no wonder, with two wild boys. Even today was no exception. Ginny just tried herself on her article about the game Puddlemere United against Pride of Portree, as she heard James and Albus "Uncle Ron, Uncle Won" (Albus still had problems with the R) shouting from the next room, that of a sudden died down to a conspiratorial whisper. She looked down at her daughter, who was sitting on the play mat: "Now he gives them a candy or a chocolate-frog!" – "Knock, knock!", her grinning brother stuck his head in the room, "It is allowed to disturb the senior Quidditch correspondent?" Ginny beckoned her brother in her office: "For each other never, but for you, big brother, anytime."

Ron bent down to his niece, took her in his arms and then sat down with her on his lap. Lily grabbed at his nose, while he puffed his cheeks. Delighted squealed Lily. Ginny smiled warmly and leaned back in her chair: "So, which way the wind blows you here?"

Ron replied without hesitation: "I need your help!"

A few minutes later

"So, you want to know from me, who in my opinion, are the best Quidditschplayer in the world, right!" – Ron nodded in agreement – Ginny stood up, shouted full of energy: "James, go and play with Albus in your room, no back talk and fighting!", she looked at her brother, "Ron, you cook a big pot of tea, while I'll bring Lily to Mum." Her brother watched stunned, how she with Lily in the Floo Network disappeared.

Five minutes later he was sitting with quill and paper on Ginny's desk, while she walked across the room, lost in thought: "We begin with the beaters, I think, Jimmy Peakes and Mu Kanazaki are the best, Kanazaki's Falcon head-attack formation is unmatched. Now the Keeper, mh, Geoffrey Hooper, is currently in top form, what do you mean". – Since Ron had no chance to respond, it was apparently just a rhetorical question. – "And for the seeker, I would..," she saw at her brother apologetically, "Vi.." – Ron interrupted her with a gesture and grinned crookedly: "Viktor Krum, I know, he's the world best Seeker!" – She cleared her throat: "Yeah, okay then, only missing is the Chasers, Alicia Spinnet…." – Ron interrupted her again: "not forgetting Ginevra Potter!" – Ginny expected that Ron would laugh, at his own joke, but he only smiled warmly at her. Embarrassed, she ran her fingers through her hair: "My time as chaser are unfortunately long passed, " she saw a little sad out of the windows and and sighed, "Félix Éboué and Rosalía do Castro!" She turned her head to her brother: "So, now the only remaining question is, how do you bring them to the unpaid attendance?" Her brother rubbed his neck sheepishly and saw at her hopefully. Ginny sighed: "Then I'll probably have to cook another pot of tea!"

**Inside Ron and Hermione's Weasley Home, three days later**

Excited Ginny stepped out of the Floo Network and knocked unobservant the ashes from her clothes. Then she followed the noises, which apparently came from the guest bathroom. Poor Cannon, the golden retriever, stood frozen in the bathtub, while he was soaped by Hermione and Rose with dog shampoo. Little Hugo sat meanwhile next to the tub and sucked on a wet sponge.

"Who will bathed here?", amused Ginny and pointed to Rose, whose sweater was already dripping wet, "the dog or my little Rosie!" – "Aunt Ginny", screamed Rose excited and wanted to jump into the arms of her aunt. Ginny laughed and exclaimed: "Wait Rosie-Posie, I don't need a bath." She grabbed a towel from the shelf and dried off her niece. Hermione smiled at her sister-in-law and rinsed the foam out Cannons fur. As she gently rubbed Rose hair dry, she asked Hermione: "And where is the master of the house?". Hermione grinned, "Have you not seen him? He lies on the sofa."

Ginny looked over the edge of the sofa to the bundle, that was her brother. She lifted the blanket and asked him: "Are you sick?" - He mumbled, without opening his eyes: "No, only old!" – "Tsss, my husband was after training still quite capable…" – Horrified, he opened his eyes – "to play with our children. Eases he closed his eyes again and grunted: "Harry doesn't take care of a hyperactive dog!" Hermione called from the bathroom: "YOU wanted a dog absolutely!" – "Why don't you lie in bed?", Ginny asked curiously. – "Too many stages!" – Ginny pulled the covers off again – "He!" and waving a letter in front of his closed eyes. He pushed her hand away: "You know, that my eyes are closed and remain closed, at least for the next two hours"- "I don't think so, Mister, the dog needs to go walkies!" came out of the bathroom – "Again? Merlin, what did the dog drunk, a barrel of water?" - "Well, then I will keep the good news for me!", Ginny said casually, "bye.." Her brother sat up abruptly: "Wait, what good news?" - Ginny beamed: "Viktor's owl has brought his acceptance" Ron grabbed the Victor's letter from her hand and scanned it. Ginny looked at her nails: "Also interesting is the postscript, so much for 'how much he is looking forward to meet again Hermione' blah-blah!". –

"What!", shouted Ron in horror and jumped off the sofa. He skimmed through the letter hastily: "there is no postscript – wait, you are really cruel!"

Ginny held her stomach with laughter. "What's so funny?", Hermione asked, who came into the living room, with Hugo balanced on her hip and Rose and Cannon in her wake. Ginny wiped her tears of laughter with her sleeve: "Your ex has agreed!" – Ron growled. – "Oh, I did not know, that Cormac is also invited?!", said Hermione, apparently puzzled. Ron looked as if he was about to faint. Ginny held up her hand, so that Hermione could give her a high-five. Ron sat back on the couch insulted and muttered "you women are still my death". Rose placed herself with hands behind her back in front of her father. "Poor Daddy!" He half turned to Ginny and Hermione: "At least my daught…" with a loud splash landed the wet sponge in Ron's face. Speechless sat the now dripping wet Ron on the sofa, while the women and his daughter giggled at the expression on his face.

**02. Mai**

Both teams gathered on the field and the captains shook hands. Then the players went on their brooms up. "Mummy, where's Daddy?", asked Rose. Hermione pointed to her husband: "There's daddy". Rose clapped enthusiastically into her hands. "Rosie, you have to wait with the clapping, " scolded her cousin James. Victoria gave James a stern look: „Rose is only 3 years old and.." James stuck his tongue out at Victoria. Embarrassed cried his mother: "James!". At that moment a panting Angelina came with her son Fred and plopped down in her seat. "Excuse me, I'm so late, but I had to accept more calendar orders!" Hermione threw her sister-in-law a dark look, who acted as if she did not notice this: "Ron has already held his speech?" Fleur nodded: "Short and sweet. George has remained at home?" Angelina's gaze darkened with sadness: "He said, that he would take care of Roxanne, but we know the real reason, don't we!"

"Wow, that was a great Plumpton-Pass from Viktor, " Ginny marveled, "good thing, I don't bet on 'The Wolfhounds'. Especially Percy plays along as a replacement for Harry, sorry Audrey!". Audrey only waved casually. Angelina threw Ginny a glance: "How's your man?" – Ginny said without taking her eyes from the game: "He looks cute with the chicken pox, but for Albus and Lily, it's not so pleasant – an eight double-looping! Respect, Ron!" Suddenly she snickered: "I had never in my life expected, that, "she looked at Hermione, "your ex-boyfriend and your husband ever play together Quidditch."

David Granger turned questioningly to Arthur: "Ex-Boyfriend?" Hermione blushed: "Viktor is not my ex-boyfriend," – The present women were laughing, while David Granger was still confused – "you are really childish!" Hermione hid her red face in the curls of her daughter.

Arthur Weasley and David Granger were for the tea- and coffee-sale and their wives for the bake sale responsible. The two couples had from the sale stand a good overview of the large fairground, with many tables and benches. Interested David watched as the player Viktor Krum walked toward his daughter and kissed her hand in greeting . He whispered to the in-laws of his daughter and his wife, "Attention, the appearance of the rival!"

They all looked tensioned at Ron, and waited, how he would react. Ron, with a tired Rose on the shoulders, was about 100 meters away and chatted animatedly with Jimmy Peakes. Arthur muttered surprised: "He makes a calm impression!" They saw back at Hermione and Viktor. Hermione was talking happily with Viktor, while she the buggy with her son back and forth pushed. Jean snickered. The others looked at her questioningly. Jean shared her observation with the other: "Look, she observed Ron's response out the corners of her eyes. And I think Ron's know it too!"

Then Victor leaned over and whispered something in Hermione's ear.

The curious spectators switch back to Ron. "Oh, oh", called Molly, "Ronnie closed his hand into a fist and his ears are red. Hopefully there is not even a brawl." The spectators switch back to Hermione, who suddenly frowned and behind Viktor looked. Viktor turned puzzled. A group of about 5 girls stormed onto the festival grounds, but instead of running to Victor, they ran toward the frozen Ron.

Hermione left Viktor without a word, pushed the buggy to the sale stand and ran with the words "Please, take care of Hugo!" to her husband, who was surrounded by the girls. David muttered: "Appearance of the jealous wife!" Hermione pushed the girls angrily aside and pulled her husband away at his suit sleeve. Rose held onto the ears of her father and Ron looked as if he did not know what happened to him. Just before the sales stand Hermione stopped, stood up on her tiptoes and snogged her husband passionately. Then she looked at the disappointed girls with a triumphant glance – and all that under the eyes of the speechless audience. "Point, set and match Hermione Weasley", David whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

Satisfied Ron leaned back in his chair and asked the women: "It was really delicious. Are there any dessert?" with the consequence, that the children enthusiastically in chorus "Oh, pudding, please!" cried. Hermione mouthed to him: "Thank you very much!" and said in a strict tone to their children: "You should be in bed a long time ago! Now there is nothing sweet more for you. Say good night to your grandparents and then off for brushing your teeth" Disappointed Rose and Hugo gave their grandfathers a good-night hug, then Rose looked at her mother pleading: "Mummy, can Nana and Granny brings us to bed, please?" Hermione saw questioningly at her mother and Molly, but the beaming faces of the grandmothers saved the question.

Their children pulled Jean and Molly on the hands of the sitting room. "No Goodnight-kiss for your parents?", Hermione exclaimed after her children. Ron grinned: "No pudding, no kiss!", and added pouting "Is there really no pudding?!" – "Nope!" – "Then no Goodnight-kiss, Mrs. Weasely, from your husband!" Hermione grinned and leaned over to her husband "Are you sure?", she whispered in his ear suggestively, while David and Arthur inspires talked about their planned fishing trip. "Mh, the dessert does not have to be pudding", he replied mischievously, just as quietly.

Suddenly David turned to his son-in-law: "Ron, what do you think, if you accompany us to our next fishing trip?" – Ron waved Daivds question away: "I don't think ..." – "This is a great idea!" called his wife beaming. Ron looked horrified at Hermione. "Then it's decided, next Saturday we will pick you up at 04.00 o'clock!" – "In the morning?", croaked Ron – David nodded affirmative: "The early bird catches the worm."

**Later**

Ron followed his wife into the bathroom and repeated aghast: "This is a great idea?" She grabbed her toothbrush and grinned: "It is better, than one of your men evenings with Harry, George and the others!" – "What's wrong with these?" – Hermione rinsed the toothpaste out of her mouth: "Two words: Quidditch and Firewhiskey!" – "It sounds as if we only drink" – His wife raised her eyebrows – "Fine, from time to time we drink, but we also have fun!", upset he grabbed his toothbrush, "with you and my father..", he shook his head. – "Maybe you will be surprised and enjoy the trip!", she replied optimistic – "Hermione, now I say only two words: Fishing and Camping. Does that sound like fun?"

**Friday evening**

Hermione watched her man over the side of her book, as he gazed from the window to the mobile phone. Now and then he remarked: "Please ring!" and actually, the mobile phone rang. Ron took one look at the display and cheered: "It's David!" – "You have to press.." – Annoyed waved her husband: "I know" and pressed the green button: "Hi David! … Mh… no.. Yeah… don't you think…. Mh.. With all the rain… oh, the fish bite better in the rain, really…. I cannot wait, okay, until tomorrow morning…. you too, bye!" Ron threw the phone on the couch and sighed frustrated. – Hermione smirked, apparently the conversation went not as hoped,: "Well, what wanted my dad?" Her husband muttered: "He wanted only to know, if I have a sleeping bag!"

At 3.00 o'clock the alarm-clock pulled Ron from his deep slumber. Sleepily he fought his way out of the blanket and padded with closed eyes in the direction of the bathroom. "Ouch, the stupid chair" Ron bit in pain in his hand, while wild curses through his head whirled. He had hardly closed the bathroom door behind him, as he frantically looked around for his wand. "Shit, the wand is in the dresser!" He limped to the bathroom cupboard and took a thick towel, which he held in front of his face. After his long and loud scream into a towel, he sighed in relief.

He cast a wary look down on his toe, no blood, but certainly broken. He briefly wondered, if he should call his wife for help – after all, she is the best with 'Episkey', but decided against it. A sleepy Hermione would he not entrust his toe, so he limped in search of a pain-potion to the medicine cabinet. Unfortunately he only found something for stomach cramps. He thought for a moment, but opened then the bottle and drank the potion. "I hope, I don't get thereof breasts, " he chuckled and glanced at his bare chest, "though.., no, rather not!"

He gazed into the mirror and stretched his reflection the tongue out, then he stroked his stubble, but chose to stay unshaven (it's just camping). After he brushed his teeth, he splashed cold water on his face. On the lookout for clothes, he saw around. As expected, his wife had prepared the clothes. As he pulled on his socks, he was surprised, that the throbbing in his toe had subsided.

Quietly, he crept out of the bathroom, although he makes sure, to avoid the chair. At the door to the hallway he listened shortly to the relaxed breathing of his wife, before he left the room.

During his waiting for David and his father, he stood with a mug of tea and stared out the window. Punctually at 4.00 o'clock David's car stopped in front of the house. Ron brought his teacup into the kitchen, grabbed his bag and quietly closed the door behind him. His dad was standing next to David on the open boot of the car. Both wore light brown hats and vests, and a broad grin. "Good morning!", they greeted him cheerfully. "Morning!" grumbled Ron and threw his bag in the boot. Silently he climbed into the back seat and closed his eyes. Unlike him, David and Arthur were apparently well rested, they chatter like schoolgirls.

After an hour, they finally arrived at the parking area, which was already filled with parking cars. "Hopefully the best places are not already occupied!" David commented. He pushed Ron several pockets in the arms ("Sleeping bags" thought Ron with a shudder) and then they made themselves full packed on the way.

Skillfully the two men built up the tent, in which Ron immediately threw a curious glance. The inner space was cramped in contrast to a magic tent and it lacked a kitchen and a bathroom. Sheepishly Ron rubbed his neck: "Ähm, where is the toilet?". Arthur looked at David with a grin, who laughed and pointed to the woods "But don't forget the spade."

10 minutes later, David was standing beside Ron and showed him, how to eject a fishing rod. "You open the line roller-stirrup at the role – mh, exactly – then you hold the cord with your index finger firmly on your fishing rod. Okay, now you must the fishing rod upswing. Not bad, not bad, you need only a little practice!" Encouragingly he slapped his son-in-law on the back. Ron muttered to himself: "Then open the line roller-stirrup…."

After the fourth attempt Ron had cast his line. Relieved he sat down on a log and looked around with interest. Fishing lines hung everywhere in the lake and on the lake drifted several boats with anglers.

"Also on the hunt for 'Big Max'?", asked a voice on the right next to him. Ron turned sideways, there sat an elderly man, dressed like his father-in-law and father with a vest and a hat, only that at these various blinking artificial baits were fixed. "'Big Max'?" asked Ron him. „Max is a pike. It is rumored, that he is 5 feet and 10 inches long and lived for 50 years in the Lake! By the way, my name is Pete." He nodded in a friendly way at Ron. Ron introduced himself. "So, everyone wants to catch 'Big Max'?", he asked Pete. "That's the dream every angler," Pete confirmed, he held a thermos bottle questioningly up, but Ron refused. "Remains more for me!", Pete shrugged.

**Saturday-evening**

Tired Ron lay in his sleeping bag, he looked at David and Arthur, who snored loudly, and thought of his warm bed at home. He listened for a moment on the outside noises and then grumbled: „Shit, now it's raining too!". With difficulty he rolled onto his side.

**The next morning**

The tea-kettle hung over the campfire and David dispersed sandwiches. Ron gratefully sipped his warm tea and immersed himself back into the pocketbook, which he had found in his bag. "What are you reading?", Arthur asked interested. Ron held up the book 'Fishing for Beginners'. David laughed and asked: "Hermione?" – Ron smiled fondly "Who else?".

**Two hours later**

Lost in thought Arthur looked at the lake, as he heard Ron panicked call "Dad, David, I need help here, quickly!". He fastened his fishing pole and ran to Ron's Fishing Spot. Ron holds with both hands the strongly curved rod, while his father-in-law clutched tight Ron's waist. Both had rammed their feet into the ground. Arthur wanted to help, but he slipped on the wet grass and flew on his the back. Ron yelled: "I bet, this is Big Max!" David shouted: "Don't let loose, don't let loose!"

**At 13.00 o'clock**

Rose watched tensely, as her mother a building block out of the tower pulled. As expected, the tower collapsed. Rose comforted her mother: "Don't worry, Mummy, Hugo is in Jenga much worse than you!". Hugo grinned and nodded in agreement. Her mother grabbed Hugo and gave him a big kiss: "How lucky for me!" Cannon, who lay relaxed next to the table, raised his head and listened. Rose ran to the window and looked outside. Excited, she called "Daddy is back!" All three rushed to the front door, where Cannon was already waiting for his master.

Hermione wrenched the door open, full of anticipation. Before her stood Ron, swaying, between his father and his father-in-law, an arm he had thrown across Arthur's shoulders and the other across David's shoulders. Both clutched his waist, so he does not fall over. "Hel…_hicks_..lo, lo...vvvhh, I'm b.._hicks_…ack!", slurred her husband. Aghast, she looked at the three men. David and Arthur guiltily avoided her gaze, while Ron hilarious smiled. Behind her, she heard the irritated voice of her daughter: "Mummy?" She hissed: "I will come back to you!", then she closed the door and turned to her children, who looked confused at her with wide eyes. Hermione knelt down in front of them: "Rose, Hugo goes into the living room, please. When I come back, we'll play again Jenga and drink a warm cup of cocoa!" Both children screamed "Yippee!" and ran away.

She stood up and counted to 10, then she held silently the door wide open, so that her husband can be guided into the house. Surprised, she saw that her husband was wearing rubber boots. Carefully the men propped Ron up against the wall.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and padded impatiently with her foot: "Well?" Her father gulped: "Ron fell into the water and afterwards he was so cold …" Hermione angrily interrupted her father "And then you gave him alcohol instead of tea?" – "That was Pete and it was tea, mixed with rum!", Arthur said defensively. "Rum?" she yelled horrified. Both nodded guiltily. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, then she pointed to the boots. Arthur answered the unspoken question timidly: "Pete's. Ron's boots were wet and he.." – "Sin…._hicks_…ce vhen our st…_hicks_..airs mow…ing?" Hermione turned back to her husband, who had one eye closed and with the other, open eye, he tried to locate the target (stairs) over his outstretched thumb, like a sailor.

"Okay", she sighed and turned to face her father and Arthur, but they were already on the run. Shaking her head, she muttered: "Cowards!" She placed Ron's arm around her shoulder and hugged his waist: "Come on, I'll help you up!" – "Ttttthannnk youhhh!", he pressed a wet kiss on her cheek. Hermione turned her head in disgust to the side: "You stink!" – whereupon Ron sniffed at his sweater: "I do….n't smell _hick_s any….thinggg!"

Breathless on the first floor arrived she stabilized him with her left hand, while she opened the bedroom door with her wand and 'Alohomora'. Afterwards she pushed him into the bedroom. "I've missss….ed youhhhh," Ron slurred. Hermione smiled tenderly: "Me too!". Then she saw, that he was not looking lovingly at her, but at the bed. She laughed softly and pushed him gently on his beloved bed. He tried unsuccessfully to take off his sweater. She slapped his hands to the side and drew the garment over his head. When she took off his rubber boots, he fell on his back. As she pulled off his socks, she saw startled, that his left big toe had turned green and blue. "My poor darling, what have they done with you?!"

**The next morning**

The 6 feet large pike ran behind Ron, who kept shouting, 'I'm sorry, Big Max, I swear, I hate fish..' then Ron stumbled and a huge shadow fell on him. -

Damp with sweat and with a pounding heart Ron woke up. His head was pounding and he had a furry taste in mouth. As he sensed a wave of nausea, he jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom.

After he had emptied his stomach, he heard the footsteps of his wife behind him. She knelt beside him and rubbed his back comfortingly: "Better?". He moaned: "You know what? I hate fish!" His words were muffled by the toilet bowl.

**Two days later**

rang the doorbell and as Hermione opened the front door, stood there her mother with Ron's boots in one hand and in the other hand the bag with his clothes : "Washed and dried back!" Hermione waved her inside and took from her the bag and shoes. She grinned at her mother "This meant probably, that dad does not venture 'to beard the lion in his den'?"

– Jean laughed "He said 'Better safe than sorry', I think, he's scared of you and your wand!" – "And rightly so! Honest mum, I have never seen Ron so drunk." – Concerned asked Jean: "How is he now?" Her daughter showed in the direction of the living room: "Look yourself, in the meantime I cook for us a tea."

Jean had to laugh, when she came into the living room. Ron growled like a bear, while Rose sat piggyback on his back and Hugo clung to his leg. Then he grabbed Hugo and tickled him. Rose shouted: "Dear troll, please don't eat my brother!" Ron suddenly saw his mother-in-law standing in the doorway: "Look, Nana is here!". Immediately the troll was forgotten. Lovingly, she greeted her grandkids. Ron hugged his mother-in-law, who regarded him searchingly, as he release her: "You're still a little pale around the nose!" Ron protested and winked: "Bad weeds grow tall!"

Hermione came into the room with a tray and set the table: "Tea for you and me.." – Her husband became green in the face. – "And hot chocolate for the kids and my poor husband!". The four made themselves comfortable. Abruptly Jean remembered something: "Oh, yes, Ron, your pocketbook 'Fishing for beginners' unfortunately I could not save, it is totally soaked. But maybe there's a spell..?" – Hermione laughed, "That will not be necessary, my husband reads except his Quidditch magazine and the newspaper nothing." Offended disagreed Ron: "Hey, that's not true. I was halfway through the pocketbook..", he blushed, "But then I fell into the water, and with me the book." He looked at the two women: "Fishing is 99% only waiting and then you're glad of any distraction, hel.., äh, I would have even 'Hogwarts. The History' read." – His wife looked at him incredulously – he smirked: "or not."

"Mm, before I forget", Jean took from her purse a photo and handed it to Ron, "here, from your father-in-law!" Rose climbed on Ron's lap and studied with him the photo "Ohhh, you are there pretty wet, Daddy!" He laughed: "Yeah, your father just had the evil 'Big Max' captured." – "The evil 'Big Max'", Rose repeated reverently. Hermione snorted and took the photo. She narrowed her eyes: "All I see, is ONE wet fish!", she looked at her husband, "and that is 'Big Ronald'!" – "He, we had to throw 'Big Max' right back into the water. He is after all a fish!" Rose and Hugo eyes glowed excited: "Please Daddy, tell us again about 'Big Max'!" Ron threw himself proudly in the chest: "Big Max is over 80 years old, and strong as an ox..". The children listened with open mouths. Hermione rolled her eyes and Jean whispered: "The pocketbook 'fish tale for beginners' he need definitely not!"

.


	5. Chapter 5

Great and unexpected changes lay ahead in the household of Ron and Hermione Weasley. Two weeks ago they had learned, that Hermione – at the age of 36 – is expecting their third child. After the initial shock both started to get used to the idea. The kids were a different story (Rose: 'this is so embarrassing' and 'where will the baby sleep, I hope not in my room', Hugo: 'I hope it's a boy, a girl like Rose, I cannot bear').

Yawning, Hermione slipped off her shoes and went into the kitchen, where her daughter sat reading at the table. "Well, that smells delicious!" Her daughter glanced up and smiled: "This is the potato casserole, which Pop has brought along." – "Pop was here?", Hermione asked, surprised. – "Is here! And Gramps also! They are up in the attic with Dad." - „In the attic? What they do there?" – Rose shrugged and went back to her book. – "And where is your brother?" – "Set the table", Rose replied without looking up.

At that moment Hermione heard the murmur of the men, who came down the stairs. She stepped out of the kitchen and greet affectionately her father and father-in-law. "Will you eat with us?", she asked. "Thank you, but your mother is waiting for me with cabbage soup!", rejected her father regretfully. Ron saw pityingly at his father: "You're still on Cabbage Diet?" David nodded: "What I'd give for a steak!_" _ ,he sighed, "see you next week. Bye!". Hermione turned to Arthur, but he waved too, and stepped into the fireplace. "Please thank Molly from us for the potato casserole," cried Hermione, before Arthur disappeared in the Floo Network, then she looked at her husband curiously: "What you wanted in the attic?" Her husband grinned: "I'll tell you after eating!"

After Hugo had cleared the plates off the table, Ron stretched out a plan on the table. Hermione looked questioningly at her husband. "Okay, unfortunately, we are missing the premises for the baby, unless our Rose is ready to give a part of her room…. I'm joking, I'm joking" – Judging by the face facial expression, his daughter found the joke however not at all funny – "Therefore, Hugo drum roll, please, …. Thanks! We will convert the attic in a new reading room slash office slash library for you, my love, and so we can convert your present office to a room for the baby! " He beamed from ear to ear. Hermione looked dumbfounded on the plan. Ron's smile died away. He saw from his wife to the plan: "We can also make changes to the plan!" Hermione turned and ran from the room. Ron looked at his children helpless. Hugo coughed sheepishly: "I think, it's really cool". Rose nodded in approval. Ron smiles weakly.

A while later he knocked softly on the door of the master-bedroom, from inside were no noise is heard. As he opened the door, he saw in the glow from the hallway light, that his wife was lying with her back to the door. He knelt beside the bed and covered his sleeping wife.

The next morning he was awakened by a delicious aroma. He sleepily opened his eyes and was about to get out of bed, as his wife's voice stopped him: "You are not allowed to leave the bed!" – "But I gotta go to work in… ", he looked at his clock and noted shocked, "Shit, we overslept!" He fought his way out of his blanket, as his wife with a loud cough drawing attention to herself. He stopped his fight with the blanket and looked at Hermione, who standing with a breakfast tray in front of the bed. "Uh, I have sent an owl to Harry and my secretary, that today we cannot get to work – absent due to illness – and our children and cannon are overnight at the Potter's!", confessed she. Ron's jaw dropped down. She rolled her eyes: "My name is Hermione Jean Weasley and.." Her husband interrupted her: "Prove it! What's my favorite food, wait, that may know everyone.." – Hermione put the breakfast tray on the bedside table in silence – "when we had our first kiss.., no, that is…" - climbed into bed and bit tenderly into Ron's ear. – Ron moaned: "May..be, _uh,_ you are really mmmmmy Hermione, _mmh_, yes, you are!"

As Ron was awakened at midday by choking noises from the bathroom, he sighed and thought "I simply cannot understand, why that is called morning sickness". When he opened the door to the bathroom, he found his wife hanging over the toilet bowl. He knelt down with a wet washcloth beside his wife. She gagged again, but her stomach had already given everything. "Finished?", Ron asked quietly. His wife nodded and sank exhausted into his arms. He handed her the wet washcloth, so that she could wipe off her mouth. "What do you think of a warm bath for you and a shower for me?", he asked after a few minutes of silence. – "A bath perhaps later, but for now, I prefer a shared shower, after brushing the teeth, my first priority". Ron laughed and squeezed her fondly.

_**One hour later:**_

While Ron comfortably read the sports section of the morning paper, he absently caressed at the same time the right leg of his wife, Hermione lay on her belly – with her head toward the foot of the bed, chewing thoughtfully on her quill: "First we need to tidy out the attic" – Amazed Ron lowered the newspaper: "What?" – She shot him a look over her shoulder: "I'm currently writing a to-do list and 'Tidy out' comes first!" – "Aha, now I know that you're actually Hermione," – She looked at him quizzically – "the to-do list is proof enough!", he smirked, whereupon Hermione bit him in his big toe. "You know, that this is my numb toes, so I feel nothing at all, while your big toe", he grabbed his wife's foot and bit lightly on her big toe, "sensitive to pain is!" Hermione grumbled: "Not fair!". He kissed her toe consolatory. Then he sat up and leaned against the headboard: "After yesterday evening, I would not have thought, that you liked the idea with expanding of the attic." – Hermione looked at her husband shocked: "Are you crazy? I love the idea! Why did you think.., oh!", she paused and then continued softly, "I ran out of the room, because I wanted to avoid our children the sight of a mother, disbanded into tears, " she sniffed, "how now!" – "Come here!", Ron whispered tenderly, and held out his arms, in which his wife crashed.

_**20 Minutes later:**_

"Second: 'dispose of the junk'" – "Hey, we could organize a tick-market and sell all that stuff for charity!" – "Tick-market?", Hermione laughed amused, "I think you mean 'flea market'". Ron sheepishly scratched his neck: "Yeah, flea market." – "A very good suggestion, Mr. Weasley, there's a reward kiss… _mh_! Okay, third, purchasing of materials" – "Don't forget 'tools'!" – "Tools? Why do you need tools!" – "Oh, I've forgotten to tell you, wait, you're off and away" – Hermione slapped him playfully on his chest – "before I could to tell you, that, " Ron threw out his chest and said in a deep voice, "we will convert the attic self, with our own hands, but without magic!" Hermione looked up at him skeptically. Ron raised his eyebrows: "What, you don't have confidence in our abilities? I am deeply affected!" – "Fourth", distracted Hermione her husband, "'furniture buying'". – Her husband sighed and muttered: "Yippie yippie yeah!" – She grinned: "and sixth: 'Setting up the furniture and decoration of the room'!" – "That's?", Ron asked relieved – Hermione nodded, tossed the list aside and grinned mischievously. "I vaguely remember, that you, Mr. Weasley, promised me a bath!" Ron waggled his eyebrows suggestively: "Let's go".

_**A while later:**_

Hermione's fingers absent-mindedly started playing with the plain gold band on Ron's left hand. "The slide steps come away, of course, we have thought of a spiral staircase, I hope, that's okay, and the new skylights..", Ron talked without periods and commas, but as Hermione yawned, he turned his head, so he could see into his wife's face. She blinked drowsily and he whispered lovingly: "Get out of the tub and off to bed with you!" – Hermione did not stir – "You know, you have to first climb out of the bathtub!" – A loud snore was the only answer. – "Love?" – His wife slept soundly. – Ron chuckled softly: "This is embarrassing, trapped under the body of my wife - in the bathtub!"

_**Two days later:**_

Ever since he was a little boy, Hugo loved it, to watch his father, when he was shaving. Even this time, he sat on the edge of the tub and observed with fascination, how his father skillfully shaved with a razor. Ron watched his son through the mirror, as Hugo passed his hand over his chin. He laughed softly: "This will take a few more years!" Hugo grinned also: "Maybe then I'll grow myself a chin beard as so cool as Uncle Charlies!" Ron examined his face in the mirror and thought with a sigh "A beard would be really 'cool'" – "Dad?" – "Mh?" – "What is Sex?" – "Ouch, bloody hell!" Ron was holding a towel on his bleeding cut wound. Startled jumped Hugo up: "Dad, you're okay?" – "Yeah, yeah, everything is fine". He cleared his throat: "Hugo, _uh_, go ahead to your room, I'll come right after and then we talk about, _uh_, sex, all right?" Hugo nodded: "Cool".

When Hermione stepped out of the Floo Network, she heard the loud laughter of her daughter from above. She stood at the bottom of the stairs and called up: "What's going on?". A laughing Rose appeared at the banister: "Dad's Hugo just the birds and the bee's-Talk!" Hermione ran up the stairs and opened without knocking the door to Hugo's room. Her son sat on his bed and Ron in front of him on a chair. While Hugo looked serious, showed her husband's face totally embarrassed. Both turned their heads to her. She looked at her son sternly and then turned to her husband: "Ron, you can stop, I have elucidated Hugo already weeks ago!" Ron glanced speechless at Hugo, who shrugged his shoulders: "Sorry dad, but Rose has bet, that you would chicken out!" Rose, who stood with an Extendable Ear in the doorway, added laughing: " Hey, that was a good metaphor with the garden, the seeds and flowers." Ron began with clenched teeth to count: "Ten, nine, eight.." Hugo's smile faded and he called: "Rose, race!"

**Clearing out the attic **

Annoyed Ron banged his foot against Cardboard No. 3 and grumbled: "Whence comes all this junk?" Hugo glanced at the clipboard, as he looked up, he pointed to the box, which Ron had just battered: "In this are the Quidditch stuff!" – "Quidditch stuff?", Ron repeated and knelt beside the box. Hugo peered through the roof hatch and whispered to his father: "Mum is not in sight!" – Ron exulted: "Okay, so we have at least 5 minutes" He quickly opened the box and rummaged through the contents: "Gloves, shin and arm guards", suddenly he paused and muttered reverently, "my Cannon-Quaffle!" – "Dad!, cried Hugo excited, " enemy approaching!" Ron took the Quaffle and shut the box in a matter of seconds. Frantically he looked around in the attic. "Dad!", Hugo pointed to the stroller. Ron barely had the Quaffle tucked away, as already the head of his wife appeared in the roof hatch. "What do you need for as long, we are waiting for the next boxes!" "Spiders", Hugo lied. Hermione rolled her eyes: "Now hurry, the first two boxes are already cleared out!" – "You know, the boxes are quite heavy, and with 'Wingardium Lev..'" - Hermione shook her head: "On no account - I don't want my day to have to spend in the emergency ward of St Mungo, again!" Ron sighed and picked up the box: "Hugo, since our girls so jostle…".

Groaning, Ron puts off the box in the garage, Rose took one look at the box and called to her mother: "No. 3", Hermione looked down at her clipboard: "The Quidditsch stuff". She raised her eyebrows and looked suspicious at her husband: "This has probably nothing to do with the fact, that we had to wait so long for the box?" – Ron played dumb: "I don't understand what you mean!" She snorted.

Two hours later, Ron and Hugo looked pleased around, except for the crib and the old stroller, the attic was empty. Ron slapped his son companionable on the shoulder: "Thanks" Hugo smiled sheepishly: "He, you got my dinosaur figures rescued!" They grinned at understanding.

In the garage had meanwhile collected a lot of stuff, Ron whistled and glanced around. "No more boxes?" asked his daughter, yawning. As Ron nodded, she settled relieved on the old armchair: "Thanks, Merlin!" Her father leaned back against the wardrobe, while his wife snuggled tiredly into his arms: "I really wanted to invite my girls to dinner, but since you both so exhausted!", he regarded his overtired daughter, "You know what? Hugo and I go to the steak house and get the food, okay?" Gratefully waved his daughter and his wife muttered sleepily: "That's why I married you!"

**Flea market**

Ron was surprised by the number of prospective buyers: "Hopefully they buy the creepy picture of Aunt Muriel, honestly, who gives away a self-portrait as a wedding present?" Hermione glanced over his shoulder to the garage: "I just hope that Hugo can sell the ugly vase!" At this moment Rose, who looked slightly panicked, came into the kitchen: "Mum, can I just talk to you? It is urgent!" Hermione saw confused at her daughter, but followed her into the hall without another word. Ron curiously watched the two through the open kitchen door. Rose spoke hectically to her mother, while Hermione stroked her comfortingly over the arm. Ron walked past them. Both fell silent and threw him a glance. He slowly climbed up the steps, so that he could understand some snippets of the conversation from mother and daughter: "gone, over all checked, Dad, are you sure" He chuckled.

"Wow, Hugo really has a knack for selling!", Ron grinned and and ruffled Hugos hair, "The job next summer in the joke shop is therefore safe for you!" Hugo smiled shyly. In the garage stood only a box with odds and ends. His wife casts a glance at the remaining things. Ron proudly counted on: "Aunt Muriel's picture, the vase, the old armchair…" – His wife interrupted him: "Dad's Quaffle!" – He winked at Hugo: "Exactly, my Cannon-Quaffle!" –"The old stroller!" – "Yeah, the old…, what? But, but we wanted to keep the stroller, don't we?", Ron stuttered. – "After 11 years it is time for a new!" – Ron looked panicky at Hugo, who saw puzzled at his mother : "Mum, I have not sold the stroller!" – Hermione grinned arrogantly: "Rose has apparently also the sales skills of her uncle, she sold the stroller during your tea break!" Rose nodded:" Yes, Mrs. Thanner needed a stroller for her pregnant daughter", she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, "and I offered her our old, voila, Mrs. Thanner and her daughter are happy, Mum can buy a new one for the baby and we have earned 10 Galleons for charity."

"But in the stroller lay my dinosaur figures", cried Hugo. Hermione and Rose looked first at each other, thereafter to Ron and Hugo and then shouted laughingly: "We knew it!" – Ron croaked: "And you also knew from my Quaffle, correct?" – His wife snorted: "Honestly, the hiding place was not very ingenious!", she shook her head, "But I don't understand, how someone can pay 2 Galleons for such a thing?" Ron stood frozen: "2 Galleons? You sell my Quaffle with the signatures of the Cannon-Player of the year 2000 for 2 Galleons!" – Hermione stood in front of her husband, pecked him with her finger into the chest and hissed angrily: "And for how much has Hugo sold my porcelain cat? For only 5 Sickels!" – Ron looked aghast at his wife: "Because of the cat, this ugly thing, you sell my Cannon-Quaffle?"

Meanwhile yelled Hugo: "You sold my dinosaur figures" – Rose screamed back: "Just as you have sold my Mr. Wilbert!" – "Who had only one eye!" – "You're heartless, even if he only had one eye", her voice was suddenly quiet, "he was after all my first stuffed animal." Hugo scratched his neck and whispered: "I have not sold Mr. Wilbert, he is in the Burrow, so that Granny can sew him a new eye." Speechless, Rose looked at Hugo, then she hugged her brother tightly. Embarrassed Hugo patted her on the back: "My dinosaur figures however you have actually sold, right?!" Rose broke away from the hug and gulped: "Peter, from across the road, was totally fascinated by the figures, and.." – "Peter?" – "Yes!" – Patronizingly Hugo smiled: "I have no longer played with them anyway, and Peter is a nice boy, so it's okay!" Rose smiled also: "What do you think of a cup of ice cream?", she rolled her eyes, "Mum and Dad are probably busy for a while!" – "How about a race to the kitchen?" – "Deal!"

"What cannot be understood at 'unsaleable'?" – "My Quaffle was unsaleable too!" –

"If you have not seen in the box, you…" – "But I have! The Quaffle was precious, while your porcelain cat has been just a dust catcher!" Hermione angrily stomped on her foot: "You're also a dust cater, and yet we keep you!" – "That was low, Granger! "Ron turned around and shouted, "Cannon, let's go for a walk, for now we are not welcome here!", while Hermione stomped into the house.

**The meantime in the Burrow: **

Arthur stood in front of the fireplace and called: "_Uh_, Mollywobbel what is this ugly thing on our mantel?" – Molly replied from the doorframe: "Honestly, Arthur, you don't' recognize art not even, if you stand in front of it. This is a valuable statue from china, Hugo gave me the mysterious cat for a very reasonable price!" – "That can I imagine!", muttered Arthur.

**Purchasing of materials and tools**

With gleaming eyes Arthur and Hugo faced the construction market. Ron threw David an amused glance, who clapped his hands full of beans together: "Let's go!"

Three hours later Hermione greeted her husband already at the front door. Tenderly she stroked her sleeping son, who was carried from his father, over his head and whispered "I thought, you were never coming back home." Ron put his son gently on the sofa and covered him with a blanket.

"So, " Hermione poured her husband a cup of tea and sat down beside him at the kitchen table , "how was it on the construction market?" – "It was simply bloo, u_h_, phenomenal!" Ron looked like a little boy, who had been the first time in a toy store. "Saws, gavels – do you know, how many different gavels there are – grills.." –"You mean drill!" – "Screwdrivers, nails, screws…", Ron saw dreamily into the distance, "I think, I need a workroom." His wife had to bit her bottom lip in order not to laugh.

**Shopping **

"Rose, we will not go, until you have eaten something!", Hermione warned her daughter. "I'm not at all hungry!" – "Under no circumstances you leave the house without break…._Ohh"_ Hermione turned pale and ran – her hand covering the mouth – out of the kitchen. "Dad?" – Ron lowered his newspaper – his daughter looked at him pleadingly and pushed silently the plate with her toast to him. He glanced on the toast and asked, "Apricot jam?" – Rose nodded. – "How lucky for you, that I love apricot jam!", Ron grabbed the bread and within the shortest time, it was gone, just in a timely fashion, before his wife came back to the kitchen. She glanced at the empty plate and beamed at her daughter. "Can we go now at last", Rose asked excited. – "I, for my humble self, was never in a hurry, to buy school supplies with my mother!", Ron confessed. His daughter sniggered and put her dishes in the sink – "What else we never even believed, my dear!", laughed his wife.

Rose stood impatient before the Floo Network "Mum, what you need as long? Ginny and Albus are waiting.." – "I'm com.. _ups.." – _" Not again", murmured Rose. Her father took an apple from the fruit bowl and called: "Hey Rose, catch!" Ron tossed her the apple, "A snack for traveling!" Rose smiled sheepishly and stuck the apple in her jacket. Hermione came happily into the living room: "False alarm." Ron helped his wife into the jacket: "Okay, I wish you much fun, spends as much money as needed and and don't forget.." – "Not to go without you to Ollivander's and into the Eeylops Owl Emporium, I know!" – He grinned mischievously: "Hey, in return, I leave you free hand when buying furniture" – "I am so grateful!", Hermione rolled her eyes and kissed her husband goodbye. Ron pulled briefly on a lock of his daughters hair. Rose waved and disappeared with her mother in the green flames. "Hugo", shouted Ron, "time to get up!"

_**In the afternoon:**_

Full of pride, Rose wore their purchases into the House. "Mum, it's okay if I bring my bags directly in my room?" Hermione smiled: "Go ahead! I'm going upstairs to feed the hungry mob." When she arrived with sandwiches and cold drinks upstairs, she was received enthusiastically. "Hooray, food!".

Although Ron already had a sandwich in his mouth, he grabbed yet another. His wife shook her head: "You act just as if you have not eaten in days." – Her husband smirked and winked at his son: "Physical work up an appetite, right Hugo!" Caught out blushed Hugo, who had just stuffed his second sandwich in his mouth. "Hugo!", scolded his mother. – "Morrm mum." – "You're as bad as your father." The men laughed. "So, Hermione, what do you think", her father asked, pointing - with a bottle butter beer in the hand – around in the room. Ron watched tense his wife. The former storage room/attic transformed gradually into a cozy retreat for Hermione, which was partly thanks to her husband, who was surprisingly a very skilled craftsman. She looked fondly at her 'men' "I think it's perfect" she squeezed her son to herself and sniffled stirred. Ron mouthed to David and Arthur: " Hormones!" – "Mum, I cannot breathe, "exclaimed Hugo desperately. "Oh, sorry!" Hermione blushed and released Hugo.

Before she went back down, she stood there for a moment and watched the men in action. Arthur and Hugo assembled the first bookcases, while her father and her husband laid the last floor boards.

_**A while later: **_

Hermione stood dreamily with the laundry basket in the bedroom and thought of her husband. She closed her eyes and saw him in front of her, his shirt sleeves rolled up, a pencil behind his ear, safety goggles loosely around his neck and his hair, like a fiery glow – thanks to the light of the new skylight.

"Only five boards", exulted Ron and wiped the sweat from his brow, "then the floor is finished." Suddenly his wife called from below: "Ron, could you please come down!" – Ron shouted back: "Now? We need to shift just five boards.." – "I mean, immediately!" He saw apologetically at his father-in-law: "I'll be right back!". David waved: "Let you time!" Grumbling Ron made his way down. As he came up back a little later, David smiled and whispered to him: "_Um_, Ron, your shirt is buttoned wrong." His son-in-law turned bright red and resolved his 'error' quickly.

**Setting up the furniture and decoration of the room:**

Rose distributed the family photos on the desk of her mother: "Mum?" - Hermione looked up from her box with books: "Mmh?" – Timidly ask Rose: "Could I help you in setting up of the nursery, I know I'm at Hogwarts, but maybe you could wait until Christmas ...!" - Her mother beamed happily: "I'll wait – your father will be just as happy about it." – "What about me?", Ron asked curiously, who came with another cardboard full of books in his wife's office. "Your daughter goes with me on Baby Stuff-Shopping!" Confused Ron looked at Rose: "Right now?" – "Honestly, love, obviously not right now" Hermione sighed dramatically, "during her Christmas break!" – "Voluntarily?" His wife slapped his arm. "Where to put the boxes?", called Hugo, who could not be seen behind two stacked boxes. Hermione's eyes widened horrified: "Attention Hugo, Cannon..", but the warning came too late, Hugo tripped over Cannon and the boxes flew through space. Worried Hermione knelt beside her son, who lay between her scattered book: "Are you ok?" – Hugo grumbled and threw Cannon, who went impassively back to sleep, an angry look. Rose laughed out loud: "I will really miss you guys!"


	6. Chapter 6

**December 2016**

Facilitates stroked Rose 'stroller' of the baby shopping list and looked searchingly around: "Ah, car seats in this direction". She pointed to the left. Her mother stood suddenly still and laid her hand on her baby bump. Worried called Rose: "Mum, you're okay – do you want to sit down for a moment?" Hermione beamed at her daughter, took silently Rose's hand and placed it on her belly. Surprised Rose felt a gentle movement under her hand "Wow!", whispered Rose reverently, "this is my little sister!" Her mother laughed: "Hugo is convinced, that our little Crumb is a boy." Rose snorted: "Hope dies last!", and added hesitantly, "you don't want to know, if it is a girl or boy? I mean, then you can already choose a name." Hermione doesn't have to think long: "No, I, **WE** want to be surprised," , she grinned mischievously, "otherwise where's the fun, and it would be cheating, if your dad knew the sex before the birth. Far as I know the bets are currently 8 : 2, that our Crump a" – "girl is?" – "Nope, a boy!" – Rose looked at her mother sternly "Have you also bet?" – "Of course." – "Mum, I am appalled!" – Hey, the baby needs a stroller, diapers.." – "How much you've placed, and above all .." – "5 Galleons on a girl – the betting odds were better". They both laughed.

**A few nights later in the master bedroom**

Ron stood frozen in front of the bed: "You want a plaster cast of your baby bump?" Hermione did not look up from her magazine: "It says here, more and more women let do this, is a wonderful memory!" – "You're kidding, right? – Hermione turned the magazine, so that her husband could see the different photos of plaster casts. Ron's eyes widened and he took the magazine out of Hermione's hands: "You are not kidding!" – "We" – Ron raised an eyebrow – "can make the plaster cast self or in a studio!" Sighing Ron flung the magazine on the bed and grumbled: "Do I have a choice?" – His wife grinned and shook her head – "But don't say anything to my mother or worse, to George!" Hermione held up her hand: "I swear!" Ron walked into the bathroom, to return shortly afterwards. "Hey, how would it be, if you get your plaster cast , and I my beard?!" He smiled at his wife winningly, but his wife only looked at him wordlessly. "Come on, a little tiny chin beard." Hermione shook her pillow, in that she then snuggled comfortably and turned off the light. Out of the darkness came the questioning voice of her husband: "A three-day beard?"

**The next morning in the North London Clinic**

Embarrassed Ron hid his face behind the magazine. Hermione watched questioningly her husband. He leaned over to her and whispered: "We are here the oldest couple, the others are still teenagers." – "Nonsense, we are not.." his wife glanced around the room and raised all at once her book in front of her face, "Oh Merlin, **WE** are the oldest couple!" – "Told you so!"- "Hermione and Ron Weasley, please", suddenly called a voice from a loudspeaker. Relieved they both jumped up from their chairs.

"Hello, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley!" they were greeted by a female doctor in the examining room, "I'm Dr. Alice Edison. Please take a seat!", she smiled friendly at the two, "So, you are here because of a 3-D ultrasound?" – "Yes! My healer, um, gynecologist has advised us that kind of ultrasound." - Dr. Edison saw in her file: "You are 37 years old" – "That is correct!", confirmed Hermione. Ron snickered. Questioningly the doctor looked up and he explained: "Uh, we were in the waiting room the oldest couple. They thought determines 'and that at their age'!" – She laughed: "Yes, the thought over 30 you don't have sex anymore!" Ron blushed and saw down at his hands: "Yeah!" Hermione grinned. Dr. Edison got up and pointed to an examination couch: "Please, Mrs. Weasley, pull over the examination shirt and then lay down on the couch. Mr. Weasley, you can sit on the right side, so you have a good view of the monitor!"

A few minutes later: "Everything looks perfect", smiled their doctor pleased and turned the monitor to Hermione and Ron, who both looked fascinated on the screen. "Wow, that's our Crumbs", Ron whispered reverently. Hermione gulped and squeezed the hand of her husband. The doctor handed her a tissue, so she could wipe away the tears. The baby had his fists over his eyes, as if it wanted to rub the sleep out of the eyes. She laughed tenderly: "Our Crumbs comes after you!" She turned her head to her husband, who – with moist eyes – was smiling at her lovingly. – "Do you want a DVD?", asked Dr. Edison. Both nodded enthusiastically.

**On the same evening**

Hermione switched off the TV and the DVD player and waited expectantly for the reaction from Harry and Ginny, which came promptly. "That was amazing, kind of creepy, but incredible!", Harry turned to his wife, "Gin, how about another baby Potter?" Ginny snorted: "We have enough work with our three troublemakers, don't you think?" – "Mm.", Harry saw thoughtfully at the now black TV screen and took a sip from his bottle butterbeer. Hermione gave her husband a meaningful look: There is the last word not yet spoken, which probably Ginny also realized, because she watched her husband with a furrowed brow. Ron cleared his throat and asked: "Ginny, Harry, another butterbeer?". Harry held up his bottle: "Thanks, mate, but I still have!" – "I would like a juice!" – "Love?", Ron asked his wife. – "A juice would be nice" - He nodded and went into the kitchen.

"So, have you already decided on a name?" Ginny asked curiously. Hermione laughed and took two pieces of paper from the table: "This is the list with Rose's name suggestions! ", she held up a full written page, "and this is Hugo's list," she held up a nearly blank page, " after I told him, that names of Quidditsch players are out of the discussion." – "Which is a pity!", sighed her husband, who came back with the drinks. Harry grabbed Hugo's list and read aloud: "For a boy: Jack, Matt, Ben, Caleb, Max ", he stopped and called, "what is wrong with 'Harry'?" Hermione smirked: "Please, continued" – "For a girl: Harriet" he stretched out a winning fist, "Georgina, Charlene, Persephone. Oh", he lowered his fist, "Rhonda, Willa and Maureen", he looked up and pointed at the last name, "Maureen?" – Hermione winked: "Like Maureen Rutherford, his teacher." – Ginny enthusiastically clapped her hands "Oh, how sweet, Hugo's first crush!" – Her brother grinned mischievously: "Well, he comes after his mother!", he batted his eyelids excessively and continued in a high voice, "Oh, Gilderoy, your smile is soooo nice and your hair..", Hermione threw a sofa cushion at his head. Harry laughed: "Sleeps Hermione still with his get-well-card under her pillow?" Hermione blushed. Ron gave Harry a high-five. Ginny shook her head: "You are childish!" and grabbed Rose's list: "For a girl: Amelia, Jessica, Emily, Sophie, Ruby, Grace, Charlotte, Ella, Megan, Summer, Abigail, Emma, Amy or Amelie, Amber, Leah, Isabel, Paige, Zara, Madison, Caitlin, Rebecca, Zoe, Rachel, Rayanne, Rowena." She let out a deep breath, before she read on: "For a boy (of course entirely hypothetical)" – They laughed – "Jacob, Ethan, Daniel, Samuel, Noah, Dylan, Jayden, Ryan, Liam, Connor, Michael, Nathan or Nathaniel, Aaron, Owen, Reuben, Cameron, Elliot, Hayden, Kayden, Henley. Wow!"- "Mm, 'Persphone Weasley', that sounds nice, " Harry snickered and Ginny exclaimed: " I think, 'Rhonda' is the most beautiful name!" Ron called to his wife: " Let them have it", and kindled a sofa pillow fight between the Weasley's and Potter's.

**After Christmas **

Rose looked thoughtfully at the wall of the future child's room: "Mm, dragons, trolls - no! Mum, what do you think of characters from 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard?" – "That is a great idea!" agreed her mother and handed her daughter a paintbrush. While mother and daughter, the walls painted, they chatted cheerfully about the baby, Hogwarts and guys ("Mum!"). "Myladys, your tea!", Ron interrupted their conversation with a nasal voice and put a tray with two tea cups onto the windowsill. "Thank you, James!", Rose said loftily. "So, have you you decided on a theme?", her father asked. – "Yes, but it will not reveal, so hush, out." – "Wait Rose!", called her mother and beckoned Ron to her. Ron stretched out his tongue at his daughter and leaned over to his wife. "You want to still have a beard?", his wife asked him. Ron's eyes lit up: "That would…" Whoosh, Hermione painted her husband a mustache. Rose laughed heartily. Offended Ron crossed his arms over his chest, while his wife doubled over laughing. "Dad!", shouted from below Hugo, "Uncle Harry is here." "I'll be right there!", recalled Ron. Hermione wiped with her sleeve her tears of laughter away: "Come here, love, I'll wipe away the beard!". He stepped back and raised his hand: "Not necessary, I am proud of my beard!" He turned around and left the room.

Harry already placed the chess pieces on the chessboard, as a whistling Ron came into the living room and sat down at the chessboard. "Butterbeer?", Ron asked merrily. Harry looked up: "As awe…" with mouth open as he stared at his best friend. – "Is anything wrong?" – Harry ran his forefinger over his upper lip: "You have there.." – "I know!" -Stunned, Harry looked at his friend: "You know?" – "I wanted to see, how I look with a mustache. And?" – "And what?" – "Tsss, Harry, how do I look with a mustache?" – "You look.." – "Manly?", suggested Ron. – Harry laughed: "Ridiculous!" – "Well", Ron thoughtfully stroked over his chin, "also after all a chin beard!"

**King's Cross, platform 9 ¾**

Rose stood at the open window of her train compartment, looking down at her mother: "And Dad sends immediately an owl, when my little sister is born?" Hermione nodded with tears. – "Mum, please do not cry, easter holidays I'm back home!". The train began to move slowly and Rose waved to her mother and Hugo one last time. Besides Hermione wept Ginny. Hugo looked at Lilly, who rolled her eyes and exclaimed. "Mum, can we go now, the train is already gone". Ginny snorted for the last time in her handkerchief and grabbed the hand of her daughter: "This calls for a warm apple pie and a cup of tea!" Hermione looked once again in the direction, in which the train was gone. Hugo took his mother's hand and asked softly: "Mum?" She smiled at her son: "Warm apple pie? That sounds pretty good!"

**9th March 2016, 02.00 clock at night**

"Ron!", Hermione shook her husband's shoulder, "wake up, the baby is coming." – "Mm" – RONALD BILLIUS!" – Ron jerked up: "I'm awake!" – "Are you really awake? Your eyes are in fact still closed!"… "Ron?"… "RONALD BILL.." – Ron abruptly opened his eyes: "I'am awake!" Sleepily he looked at the clock and then at his wife: "The baby comes?". Hermione nodded painfully. His eyes widened: "The baby comes!" He fought his way out of his blanket, as always, grabbed a paper from the bedside table and tossed it to his wife. "Dressinnnng, oohhhh!" Hermione closed her eyes, when she opened them again, her husband came already fully clothed out of the bathroom and called: "Check!" - "Shoes?" She glanced at Ron's feet: "Check!" Her Husband looked at her questioningly. "Hugo!", she hissed through clenched teeth. Ron ran out of the bedroom and was fifteen minutes later back: "Safely delivered!" – "Finnnne….faster..mmh, faster than at the last test run". Ron wiped the sweat from his brow and asked: "Are you ready?"- "Did I have a choice?", she laughed shakily.

**10th March 2016, early in the afternoon**

Rose knocked timidly on the door of the room. A moment later, the door was opened by her pale, but overjoyed, father. He pulled his daughter into the room, holding his finger to his lips and whispered: "Your mother has just fallen asleep." Rose glanced at the cot beside her mother's bed. Questioning, she looked at her father, who nodded beaming and pushed her to the cot. In the cot was an infant with dark red hair, pink cheeks and cute little fingers. For Rose, it was love at first sight. She gently ran her finger across the cheek of her new sibling. "You're welcome, to take him out of the cot!", sounded behind her the tired voice of her mother. "Him?", Rose asked without taking her eyes from the baby. Her mother laughed softly: "Henley Caleb Weasley!". Carefully she lifted her brother out of his crib "Hey, Henley, I'm Rose, your sister!"

Her mother moved aside and patted the space beside her. Rose kicked off her shoes and lay down next to her mother, while her father sat down on a chair near the bed: "When you have returned to Hogwarts?" – "Hagrid picks me up tomorrow afternoon. Really, I never expected, that I'm exempt from classes." Hermione whispered in her daughter's ear: "Therefore you have to thank your dad and uncle Neville!" Rose gave her dad a grateful glance, who looked clueless. Suddenly, the baby was restless and whined slightly. "Feeding time!", Hermione stated, unbuttoned her nightgown and took her son from Rose's arm. "Uh, I'll get you some tea, okay!", Ron called and jumped up from the chair. His wife chuckled: "37 years old, 3 children and is still embarrassed, when his wife gives a baby the breast!" Rose watched fascinated as her brother sought and found his mother's nipple, without opening his eyes. After a while the softly gurgling noises of Henley died down and Hermione caressed his cheek, to wake him up again. Her son opened his eyes, and Rose whispered thrilled: "Brown eyes!"


	7. Holiday and its consequences

As the small travel group arrived at their holiday home in France, it was already dark. Exhausted the traveler climbed out of their cars, while Hermione already stood at the door. She clapped her hands together: "Watch out, I distribute now the rooms!"

She glanced at her list and said: "Albus and Hugo, you'll get the attic room."

Hugo gave Albus a high-five and both disappeared into the house with their luggage.

"Rose and Lily, the last room on the right side of the 1st floor."

Rose grimaced: "Mum, why cannot we sleep…"

Her mother looked at her sternly and without to discuss further the sleeping arrangements Rose went with Lily into the house.

"Teddy and Victoria..", she threw a quick glance at her husband, who was busy taking the slumbering Henley out his car seat and lowered her voice, "you get the two rooms next to each other on the ground floor room."

Ginny winked at her sister-in-law, well aware, that her brother would rather see, if Teddy and his girlfriend would be housed on different floors.

"I hope, my brother has no objections, when Harry and I share a room, and more importantly, a bed?", she asked innocently, while her eyes danced with mischief.

Hermione smiled: "As if Ron could stop you! Your room, and don't worry with a double bed, is on the 1st Floor to the left."

"Come on, Potter, follow me!" , cried Ginny over her shoulder, whereupon her husband followed her into the house with their baggage.

Ron appeared with the sleeping Henley in his arms by the door and smiled tiredly: "And suddenly there were only 2 ½!"

His wife asked him anxiously: "Are you all right, you're a bit pale."

"Just a little headache!" As his wife looked at him doubtfully, he added: " I only need some sleep, then I'm back in order."

"Then let's go, our room is also on the 1st floor."

* * *

As Ginny and Harry came the next morning in the kitchen, Henley was now fed by his mother with an indefinable green baby food. Curious, Ginny looked down at the label of the glass and read aloud 'Bertha Bott's baby porridge', she raised her eyebrow, "Bertha Bott? Is she related to Bertie Bott?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders: "If so, I don't care, as long as my little boy likes to eat it!"

"It seems, the other babies like it as well.", her sister-in-law pointed to the label, "Otherwise, it would not be 'The number 1 among baby porridge!". She gently stroked the hair of her nephew and cooed: "No homemade baby food from your mother for you? Poor Henley!" Hermione stuck her tongue out at her sister-in-law.

Ginny sat down at the table and shook her head: "Tssk, Hermione, I thought always, Ron is a bad example for your children, but I was probably wrong!"

Ron closed the guidebook of the area and nodded sadly: "For years I have to live with this prejudice.", he leaned over to Ginny and whispered behind his hand to her: "Finally one knows the real culprit!" He pointed a finger to his wife.

Harry gave him a clap on his back: "Yeah, mate, you're a role model for your children, we know."

Rose and Lily giggled.

Hermione lifted her son from the high chair and handed him over to her husband: "Here, Father of the Year, he is all yours."

Amused watched Ginny, how Ron and Harry tried, to bring Henley to laughter. She turned to Hermione: "My husband talks constantly, how nice it would be, to have still a baby in the house."

"Are you sure, Uncle Harry?", asked Hugo, who sat down with a bowl of cereal on the table, "don't forget the liquids, which releases a baby, such as baby spit, poop, slobber!"

Ginny nodded in agreement: "Exactly Harry, have you thought about the sleepless nights, the diaper-changing?"

Hugo held up his finger: "The burping!"

"You are not helping, Hugo!", grumbled Harry.

Hermione placed herself behind Hugo and put her hand on his shoulders: "Don't listen to him Ginny, for no gold of the word, we would give our Henley away, right Hugo?!"

"Hang on, Mum! How much gold?"

"Hugo!", Hermione gave him a slap on the shoulder. Laughing, he ducked down.

Ginny smiled at her husband: "Sorry, sweetheart, but I really think our three are enough!"

Harry gave her puppy dog eyes and nodded to the infant: "But look, Gin, how sweet the little rascal is!"

The mentioned little rascal squirm with laughter, as his father picked him up and blew a raspberry on his belly.

Ginny raised her arms, "Okay, Harry, you've won!"

Her husband's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Under one condition, after the birth of Potter number 4 you will stay at home as a househusband, and I will return to work!"

Hermione giggled and gave Ginny a High 5.

Harry folded huffy his arms in front of the chest: "You simply cannot win with these woman!"

* * *

Ginny unfolded the map of the environment and asked in the round: "So, folks, what do we want today?".

Hermione's eyes lit up: "Very close to the Palais des Papes d'Avignon, the landmark building of Avignon!"

The men/boys groaned.

Offended she folded her arms across her chest: "If you have a better suggestion, let's hear."

"To the beach!", cried the men in the chorus.

"Shopping!", shouted girls.

"Since we once again cannot agree, let us vote! Who is for sightseeing?"

Hermione's hand shot up. As no other for her suggestion voted, she glared at her husband, who hesitantly raised his hand. The remaining men snickered, Ron blushed and defended himself: "A little culture would not hurt us!"

Ginny smiled apologetically: "Sorry, Hermione, but Sightseeing is clearly out the race. Who's for the beach?"

The beach received one vote each from Harry, Teddy, Albus and Hugo.

"And for shopping?"

This from the girls favored Nomination received also 4 votes.

"Fine, since we have a standoff, what you think, if the women go on a shopping tour and the men to the beach?", Ginny suggested.

"This is a great idea, my darling." Harry called.

Whereupon Ginny muttered: "Slimy!"

* * *

Ron watched horrified his wife, as she packed more and more items in the beach bag: "We only go to the beach and don't emigrate!"

She rolled her eyes and murmured to herself: "Sunscreen, diapers, towels, pacifiers, shovel, blanket, snacks, water – I guess, I have thought of everything."

"Also at a snow storm or volcanic eruption?", joked her husband and put his hands into his olive-colored Bermuda shorts.

"Really funny!" Hermione knelt beside the buggy and moved Henley's baby hat rightly.

"Can we now at last go?"

His wife stroked the cheek from her son fondly, and stood up with a sigh: "Please under no circumstances forget his sun protection!"

"Are you really sure, that we can go now?" Ron tucked the beach umbrella under his arm and slowly pushed the stroller to the door, at which the beach-goers already waiting impatiently for him and Henley.

"Wait, Ron!"

Ron stopped and cast the others an apologetic look. He turned to his wife: "What now?"

Hermione approached him with a bucket hat.

Ron stepped back: "This is a joke, or?"

"You know very well, love, that you are sensitive to the sun, and besides, Hugo is also wearing a hat."

"A Baseball Cap, he wears a Cap!", Ron replied in a high voice and heard giggling behind his back.

"Honestly, Ron, you're acting just like a baby."

"Please, mate, puts on the hat, so that we can finally go to the beach!", Harry called.

Grumpy Ron took the hat from her hand and turned to leave, but Hermione held him by the arm and gave him a meaningful Look. He put the hat on his head, while he groused: "Fine, then I will make a Fool out myself."

When they finally set off, Ron hissed at the other: "No word, you understood!"

After 20 minutes, they finally arrived at their destination. The boys and Teddy took instantly their shirts off and ran laughing into the water, while Ron and Harry together pulled the stroller through the deep sand.

"How much easier it would be, if we could use our wands!", growled Harry.

"You have heard Hermione, in no case is us the use of our wands allowed, since we are under Muggles!" Ron straightened up and wiped the sweat from his brow: "Don't you agree, Harry, that this is an ideal spot?"

Harry beamed and undressed up to his swim shorts. As he glanced longingly to the water, Ron waved " Go on, mate!" – "Should not I wait for you?" – "This may take some time, you know, to undress Henley, put some cream on him, undress me..", as Ron looked up, Harry was already gone. He chuckled and laid his son on the spread blanket: "And once again there are only two of us."

**In the meantime:**

Pleasingly, Rose looked at her mother: "Please, please, Mom, this sunglasses is so cool!"

Hermione glanced at the price tag and frowned: "And costs a fortune!"

"You know what, Rose, I'll buy you these sunglasses, after all, you are my god-daughter!" said Ginny and took her purse out of her handbag.

Beaming Rose hugged her aunt: "You're the best!", while her mother just shook her head.

Victoria nudged her aunt: "What do you think of this bikini?" – Hermione eyed the scraps of cloth and smirked: "A little bit of fabric, but about Teddy will probably not be too sad!" – Her niece winked at her: "And Uncle Ron also not!", she pushed the bikini in her aunt's hand, "come on, have a fitting!"

Hermione flushed: "Do you think really, I should?".

"Definitely!", her sister-in-law cried enthusiastically, who just returned with a happy Rose and Lily from the cash register.

Wearing only the bikini, Hermione stepped embarrassed out of the dressing room.

Ginny clapped her hands: "Wow, my brother gets a heart attack, when he sees you in this outfit!"

Victoria nodded cheerfully, " Made just for you!"

Rose laughed: "Mum, this is a hundred percent increase to your previous beach outfits!"

And Lily cried: "Buy it!".

Hermione turned to the clerk and said firmly, "I'll take the bikini"

* * *

"Dad!" – "Mme?" Ron muttered sleepily with closed eyes – "Mate!" – He blinked and shielded his eyes with a hand: "What is?". Three things Ron shifted into alarm: First, Hugo, who hopped uneasy from one leg to the other; secondly, Harry, who covered Albus's eyes with his hands and thirdly, the pink hair from Teddy, a sign of extreme embarrassment. Irritated Ron looked around in search of the reason. His eyes widened: "Bloody hell!", and sat up with a start. Henley, who awoke instantly by the jerky movement of his father, twisted his face and began to weep. "Shh, Henley, it's okay."

Harry hissed: "Pack and disappear?" Ron nodded silently and Teddy added: "As soon as possible."

Ron placed his son in the buggy and gave him his dummy for soothing, then he threw the blanket, towels, sun cream, shovel into the beach bag and put on his Bermuda shorts and sandals.

"Oh, le bébé est mignon! Quell EST son nom?" He froze and looked to the stroller, next to Henley were standing two naked young girls. Both saw questioningly at Hugo, who looked at them with open mouth. "Je pense qu'il ne nous comprend pas! English?"

Looking for help Hugo glanced at his father, Ron nodded, "Yes, we are from England!"

"What is the name of the cute le bébé?"

Sheepishly rubbed Hugo his neck "Henley!"

Both knelt beside Henley and began to tickle his belly: "You're a sweet, Henley!", who laughing spat out his dummy.

Harry whispered to Ron: "Let's away from here, quickly!"

Ron cleared his throat and smiled apologetically to the girls: "Sorry, but we need to go now!"

"Oh, that is really bad." The girls got up, waved, "Bye, bye, Henley!" and ran away.

Harry snarled angrily: "Albus, stop instantly, to ogle the people. Let's go!"

The five left the beach with all haste.

After a few meters, they stopped at the sign 'Plage de naturisme'. Ron and Harry looked at each other and then to Teddy: "What? Just because my girlfriend has a french mother, I don't need, to speak perfect French, moreover the word naturisme says it all, right!"

Ron ran his fingers through his hair: "You are right. But guys, from this, we say nothing to the women, understood! Albus, Hugo?" He looked sternly into the round. Albus and Hugo nodded. Teddy raised his hands in horror: "Tori would kill me, if she would find out!"

"Yeah mate, I'm also not keen, that Gin learns about!", Harry shrugged already alone from the image.

Ron laughed sheepishly: "Same for me!"

As they walked, Harry whispered to his friend: "Thanks to Merlin, that James spends his holidays with his cousin Fred. I bet, my precocious son I would not have gotten away from the nudist beach!"

The holiday house was already in sight, as Hugo cried: "Dad!" Ron glanced questioningly over his shoulder, and Hugo pointed to his head.

Cursing, Ron searched in the bag for his hat.

* * *

Hermione barely opened the door, when Henley already stretched his arms out to her. She beamed and took him out of the stroller: "Did you have fun at the beach?". Albus and Hugo nodded and stormed away. Frowning, she looked after them: "Is something happened on the beach?" – "No!" "Everything is fine." "How do you get that idea?".

She shrugged her shoulders: "Just a feeling!"

"Uh, I'll go shower, see you later." Harry called and rushed off.

Teddy coughed and asked: "Where's Tori?".

"With Ginny and the girls on the terrace!"

Teddy smiled and went to the terrace.

Hermione kissed her son on the forehead and glanced over his head searchingly at her husband.

He yawned and stretched: "And how was your shopping trip?"

"It was ok, I made some nice purchases!", she removed his hat and grabbed his hand, "I'm going to bathe our little one, why you don't come along and take a nap before dinner?"

"Good idea!" Tired, Ron followed his wife upstairs.

* * *

"And, how was the beach?", Ginny asked curiously.

Teddy choked on his wine and Harry slapped him on the back.

Ron wiped a nonexistent crumb from his shirt and muttered: "Nice!"

Ginny raised her eyebrows and repeated amazed: "Only nice?"

Harry grinned: "The water was blue and wet, the sand white and hot!"

Insulted his wife glared at him, Harry leaned over and patted her hand: "Sorry, Gin, but I did not expect, that you want a complete trip report."

Teddy chuckled and his girlfriend gave him annoyed a slap on the shoulder.

Ron snatched his finger: "Hey! Did you know, that Muggles practice a really crazy sport? They jump headfirst from a high building into the depth, secured only by a rubber rope, that is tied around the body of the jumper and the jump platform. Before hitting the ground, you'll be decelerated by the rope."

Skeptical Ginny pursed her lips: "Why would anyone do such a thing, to boot, voluntarily?"

"For fun, of course. The guide says, that you can, not far from here, Bungee jumping, that is the name, from a bridge."

Hermione grinned: "Not much crazier, than to rush on a broomstick through the air."

Ron lifted an eyebrow: "You know, love, they also offer tandem jumps!", he nudged her with his elbow, "You and I, secured only by a rope.."

She snorted: "Only over my dead body!"

They laughed.

Suddenly, from the baby monitor was the softly wailing from Henley to hear. Hermione sighed and got up: "The joy of parenthood, a tooth-forming baby."

As Ginny threw her husband a smug glance, Harry rolled his eyes.

**The next evening:**

Rose padded into the kitchen and hopped on the counter. Grinning she watched, how her aunt was trying, to feed her little brother.

"Come on, Henley, please open your mouth.", she pleaded desperately, but Henley turned his head to the side.

"Look, Uncle Harry likes your baby food as well!" She held the spoon with the unappetizing baby food in the front of the mouth of her husband and commanded: "Harry, mouth on!"

Her husband held his hand over his mouth and shook his head.

"Coward!", she muttered and glanced at her niece.

Rose laughed and raised her arms: "No way, Aunt Ginny, I had to eat homemade Mum's baby foot as an infant, which is a enough for my whole life."

"Fine, then I'll just eat a spoonful of it!". Barley, Ginny had the baby porridge in her mouth, she already grimaced her face in disgust. Reluctantly, she swallowed it, but called afterwards for Henley's benefit: "Mm, yummy!".

Once again she held a filled spoon to her nephew, who shook his head back and forth. Ginny tossed the spoon into the plate and shouted: "I give up! Henley, you get now your bottle, not matter, what your mothers 'Baby Feeding-Schedule' says."

Grinning, Rose grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and jumped off the counter: "Honestly, I'm glad, that you are on Dad's and Mum's Date-Night his babysitter, he can be quite a handful."

Harry took his nephew in the arm and shook his head firmly: "Rose, you're exaggerating, your brother," he cast a glance at his wife, " and **babies ** in general are generally easy to care for.." – His wife snorted and grabbed a bottle of baby milk from the fridge. – "and give you so much back."

"Right now, I just think, that Ron and Hermione give us tomorrow a free evening to ourselves", his wife used a warming spell on the bottle and pushed it afterwards in Harry's hand, "and your uncle takes me out for dinner and dancing, right my dear?"

"Uh, dancing?"

Ginny glared at her husband and folded her arms across the chest: "Yes, dancing!"

Harry backed away from her eyes and gave Henley his bottle: "Wow, it seems, someone is very hungry. Slowly, my Little!"

Ginny turned her eyes to Rose: "Speaking of Hungry, where are the others?"

"Lily, Hugo and Albus are playing Exploding Snap."

"And Teddy and Tori?"

Rose giggled: "Are definitely happy, that they can finally enjoy an evening without Dad's watchful eye."

Harry furrowed his forehead: "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Uncle Harry, dad's tactic is so transparent, either he is playing with Teddy chess or he drags him into a conversation about Quidditch and their work as Aurors until late into the night."

Her aunt grinned: "This explains, why my brother is always so tired, and I thought, he gets no sleep, because Hermione.."

"Aunt Ginny!" Rose blushed and looked at her aunt indignantly.

"Reads through the night." Ginny grinned and raised the fed Henley from the arm of her husband. Abruptly she sniffed with a grimace: "Uh, my beloved husband, I believe, your nephew needs a fresh diaper."

Sighing, Harry stood up and held out his arms: "Hurrah, to the duties of a babysitter!"

**Meanwhile, in a welcoming restaurant in the town:**

„Bonsoir, je m'appelle Madeleine," the young waitress looked smiling up from her writing pad, "comment peut-.." suddenly she stopped short and called out: "What a coincidence, Monsieur 'father-of-Henley'!"

Puzzled, Ron glanced up at her.

She beamed and pointed with her pen towards herself: "The beach?" She winked cheerfully: "Although I am wearing now more. "

Finally the penny dropped and Ron exclaimed brightly: "Oh yes, I remember!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes and glanced between her husband and the young waitress.

Ron blushed and added stuttering: "I don't mean, at the, uh, nudity, but at the meet."

Appalled, Hermione gasped.

He nodded to his wife: "And that is Henley's mother, uh, my wife."

Madeleine smiled at Hermione: "You have a really cute guy, a real heartbreaker!"

Ron smirked: "Merci!"

Judging by her scowl, Hermione found his comment not very funny.

However, she smiled sweetly, as she looked at Madeleine: "Thank you very much! And where again, you said, you have met my son?"

"Yesterday, on.."

"On the beach. Can we give up now our order, please?", Ron interrupted quickly.

"Ron, don't be so rude!" Hermione scolded and immediately smiled again at Madeline, "You were saying?"

"More precisely at the nudist beach", Madeleine corrected Ron with a smirk, while he studied intensively the menu card.

Surprisingly, Hermione remained completely calm, composed she opened the menu card: "Mmh, can you recommend something?"

"Oh, yes. Our menu of the day is very..", Madeleine clicked her tongue," delicious. I also recommend a 87'er red wine from our own vineyards!"

Hermione nodded approvingly and folded her menu card together: "Merci!"

Madeleine looked questioningly at Ron, who nodded likewise.

When Madeleine was gone, Ron rubbed his neck embarrassed and waited for the inevitable, which of course also came.

"Well?"

* * *

Ron drummed his fingers on his knee and looked relaxed out the side window, until….

He saw over his shoulder backwards and shouted: "Uh, Hermione, I think, you have taken the wrong turning."

His wife gave him briefly an amused glance: "Nope!".

With an effort he looked outside: "I think so, this road leads in fact to the .."

"Beach! I know!"

Confused, he fell silent.

Finally his wife parked before the beach access and exclaimed: "Come on, it's such a starry and lukewarm night, let's go to the beach!"

She opened the trunk lid and sat down on the edge, to take off her shoes. Then she grabbed a blanket, while Ron pulled off his shoes and socks as well. She held out her hand, which took Ron without hesitation and they walked barefoot to the beach.

Hermione let the blanket drop in the sand and strolled to the water. Reluctantly, Ron followed his wife. He looked at her questioningly from the side, "And now?"

His wife grinned mischievously, stripped off her cardigan and then slowly unbuttoned her dress: "What do you think!"

Ron's eyes widened and croaked: "You want to swim? Now? Naked?"

Shaking her head, she dropped the dress to the floor and undid her bra: "Tsss, I did not even know, that my husband is such a prude."

He pulled his shirt over his head and muttered: "This word does not exist in my vocabulary!" His naked wife giggled and ran into the water, while Ron took off his pants. Only clothed with boxer shorts, he carefully stuck his toe in the water.

His wife splashed him with water: "That's cheating and no nude bathing!"

Ron puts his hands at the shorts and looked around.

Chuckling, his wife asked in all innocence: "Should I turn around?"

"Ha, ha!", he pulled his shorts down and ran into the water.

"That was fun!", Hermione gasped and sat down on the blanket.

Ron, also settled into the blanket, shook the water from his hair and grinned: "I agree completely with you, but I'm glad, when I finally can put on my boxers again."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. "Hmh, you taste salty." As she wanted to kiss him again, however, Ron froze and cocked his head. Hermione leaned back and looked at him questioningly: "What is?"

He held his finger to his lips and whispered: "Psst, I think, I hear voices!" Hermione squealed frightened and jumped behind her husband's naked body. She listened intently, but heard except the sound of the waves nothing.

Suddenly, her husband's body shook - with laughter and he turned to face her: "Oh Merlin, you should have seen your face."

Stunned, she asked: "Does that mean, you have heard no voices?"

He nodded, laughing.

Hermione angrily slapped her husband on his strong back: "That." _Punch_. "Was." _Punch_. "Not." _Punch_. "Funny!". She pushed him in the sand.

Unimpressed, her husband continues to laugh.

Furious, she stomped to her clothing.

Five minutes later she planted herself - fully clothed - in front of her husband: "My darling, you have probably forgotten, who of us has the car keys." She held the car keys up on two fingers and his clothing under her other arm.

His 'sure of victory smile' was blown away and replaced with a flattering smile: "Come on, Hermione, love, you would not…"

She lifted her eyebrow and let the keys dangle in the air. Slowly, she walked a few steps backward: "I'm waiting for you in our holiday home." She turned around and ran away.

Panic-struck Ron jumped up and cried: "Wait, love! Hermione?"

As he, wearing only the blanket around his waist, came to the parking area, waiting there already his smugly grinning wife. "Now you should have seen your face."

He held out his hand and he hissed through clenched teeth: "My Boxers, please"

She bit her lip, in order not to laugh out loud, and picked his things out of the car.

Silently he got dressed and then climbed into the car. She sat down beside him and nudged him with her elbow. He grumbled: "Just promise me, that you tell George nothing about it."

"Never – although, you looked really sexy, clad only in a blanket."

He snorted: "Ha, ha, rarely laughed."

"I mean it!"

He crossed his arms over his chest and waved: "Let's drive home, I'm tired."

Just as Hermione wanted to start the car, she stopped and took the key from the ignition lock.

Her husband glanced at her questioningly.

She turned to face him and wiggled her eyebrows seductively: "Mr. Weasley, I think it's time to christen our car!"

Ron stared at her with wide eyes: "What? Now? Here?"

She nodded and grinned: "And luckily, this time we bought an estate."

He doesn't need saying this twice and leapt laughing out of the car: "Luckily!"

* * *

Ron grinned blissfully and ran a hand through his disheveled hair: "Merlin, Hermione, of this 87er red wine we absolutely have to take a whole crate, no, a whole cart full with us!"

Hermione giggled and whispered: "Sssshh, love, you'll wake the whole house!".

"Oops, sorry." He followed her on tiptoe into the house. In the corridor they found a message from Ginny:

_Hello lovebirds, I hope, you had a nice evening! For an unforgettable night, we have shipped Henley and his bed in our room. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Ginny_

_P.S. Hermione, for the No. 1 among the baby food, there is only one word, **INEDIBLE**_

Without hesitation Hermione grasped the hand of her husband and pulled him behind her upstairs to their bedroom.

* * *

**A month later, in the living room of the Weasley family:**

As a beaming Harry placed a 6-pack of butterbeer on the living room table, Ron raised his eyebrow in amazement: "The Quidditch game Appleby Arrows against the Cannons takes place tomorrow, and not today." He looked at the wall calendar: "Or is today already Saturday?"

Harry grinned and held a bottle toward him: "No, today is Friday, however, there is something to celebrate."

Ron shook his head and lifted his glass of fire whiskey: "Thanks, but I still have something to drink."

Ginny snorted: "A bit too early for whiskey, my dear."

"Sorry, Mum, but today I need something stronger than milk."

His sister rolled her eyes: "Be glad you're not my son! I'll leave you guys alone, I suppose Hermione is in her study?"

Ginny knocked on Hermione's office and opened the door without waiting for an answer: "Knock, knock, anyone here?"

Her sister-in-law was sitting in the wing chair and stared lost in thought into her cup of tea, therefore Ginny carefully approached and touched her shoulder: "Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione forced a smile: "I'm fine."

Ginny looked at her doubtfully: "Really? To be honest, you look a little tired and pale."

Her sister-in-law smiled tiredly "My little son is still teething, and so I get hardly any sleep. But enough of me, tell me about the big news in the potter-household."

Ginny slipped out of her shoes and sat down with her feet under the buttocks on the couch.

"Also?"

Ginny took a deep breath: "We are trying for a baby!"

Hermione: "What?"

**Ron: "What?"**

**Harry beamed and nodded in confirmation.**

**"My sister has really changed her mind?"**

"My dear husband thinks, he owes this decision his good persuasion and charm, but honestly, since Lily goes to Hogwarts, it's been awfully quiet in our house"

"**She just can not resist me and I knew, at some point she will give in."**

"What a pity, that..", Ginny patted her flat stomach, "Potter number 4 will not in the same year, as your son. I'm so happy, that Lily and Hugo in their first year are together at Hogwarts."

"Ginny.."

She chuckled: "But maybe soon is a little Lupin on the way."

"Ginny.."

"Well, first of all I need to get pregnant, I'm ultimately over 30."

**"I bet in a year, Molly can enjoy over a another grandchild."**

**Ron leaned over and clinked his glass with Harry's bottle: "You've already won the bet, mate."**

"I'm pregnant!"

Ginny's eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

**Harry's jaw dropped.**


	8. Merlin, help us

Ron awkwardly patted his mother's back. Finally she let him go and wiped her tears with the corner of her apron from her face: "I can hardly believe it, another baby." She beamed and embraced her daughter in law again.

Her son muttered under his breath: "Nor am I!" Apparently his wife had heard this comment, because the smile vanished from her face and she gave him over the head of his mum a strangely look.

A powerful slap on his back distracted him from his wife. "Was always a late bloomer, our Ickle Ronniekins, but if you go on like this, then you have Mum and Dad trumped in..", jokingly George silently counted off on his fingers, "no later than four years."

"George!" His mother scolded.

Ron snorted: "Trust me, this is our last child, actually our family planning had been already complete after Henley's birth."

His wife raised her eyebrows and snapped: "Oh really, Ronald, I cannot remember that we have talked about this topic."

Her husband frowned and stuttered: "This, uh, pregnancy was not planned at all, or?"

George snickered: "Oops, Dad hasn't taught you the spell?"

Ron blushed and hissed: "Shut up, George."

"What kind of spell I did not teach Ron?", Arthur asked scattered, while he blew off the dust from the bottle of pumpkin brandy.

"Nothing, Dad, it was only one of George's usual joking.", Bill laughed and bounced Henley on his knees.

Arthur beamed: " So, who wants to honor of the occasion a glass or two from my homebrew pumpkin brandy." – All, except for the pouting Hermione, held up their glasses. – "Hermione, for you I have of course a pumpkin juice." – His daughter-in-law mumbled: "Hurray, pumpkin juice, I cannot imagine nothing better."

**A few hours and brandies later**

As Ron opened the door, to his former room, he saw his wife seated on the windowsill. Absent-mindedly she stared outside, so he could approach her without being noticed: "Oh, here you are!"

His wife looked still out the window. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

Suddenly she whispered: "Are you ashamed, that I'm pregnant?"

He broke away from the embrace and sighed deeply. She turned, to face him: "Are you?"

Ron rubbed his neck: "Ashamed?"

"You will hardly blame me, that I have this impression, according to your current behavior."

"Which behavior?"

Hermione's voice became louder: "How could you say in front of our family, that it is an unplanned pregnancy? Why do you shy away from any kind of intimacy, you know, I'm already pregnant! You don't even touch my belly. All that leaves only the following conclusion, either you embarrassed or you don't want this baby!" – Ron folded his arms over his chest and opened his mouth. – "And, Ronald Billius Weasley, don't you dare, to answer my question again with a counter question!"

"I guess, you will agree with me, that the pregnancy was an accident, and to tell the truth, I was totally shocked, when I learned of this. A part of me, it is still."

Hermione paled: "This therefore means, you don't want the baby?"

He sighed: "Just give me a little time to get used to it!"

She jumped up from the window sill and her eyes flashed with anger: "Whether you are getting used to this or not, in a few months, we have another baby."

When his wife wanted to rush out of the room, Ron pulled his reluctant wife in his arms, while she hissed angrily: "Let go of me, you ass!".

"You listen to me, whether you like it or not! You asked me, if I'm ashamed, my answer is yes, I'am. However, not due to our age or to George or the others."

She struggled no longer, rather leaned against him.

He gently stroked her back: "You know, my wife is Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, who loves her work in the ministry and I can say with complete justification, she is doing there a damn good job. But now she must again stand back with her career, and that only, because her stupid husband has forgotten to do the Spell. I condemn her to a life as an underutilized housewife, for this reason, I'm ashamed."

She looked with tearful eyes up at him: "Weasley!" – "Yeah?" – She rolled her eyes: "Prat, I mean me" She ran a finger over his beard stubble: "I have to admit, at first I was just as shocked, finally, our little boy is also still a baby, but now I'm very glad, that Henley doesn't have to grow up alone. And your wife, Hermione Weasley, has already a few ideas, not to end up as a 'underutilized housewife'." – "hmm, really? Tell me about it." – Her eyes lit up: "For the children of the Ministry employees could be set up a kind of child care, ohh, as for, mmmh, the working women frommm…." She purred contentedly.

Ron, who has tenderly nibbled on the ear of his wife, stopped and looked at her questioningly: "You are saying?"

"I can't, you're distracting me."

"I just want to show you, that I don't shy away from any kind of intimacy, but I can stop.."

"Are you mad? You are not allowed to stop."

"Is not my intention, but let's go home first."

"I'll get Henley…"

"And I his stuff, hurry up, my witch." He pushed her to the door and gave her a slap on the bum.

She grinned mischievously over her shoulder at him and replied: "Promise me one thing, my dear, namely, that I'm tonight no longer underutilized."

"Your wish is my command!"

**A few weeks later**

Hermione stood before the mirror in the bedroom and checked her pregnant belly. She stroked the slight baby bum and called: "It is time, that we tell Rose and Hugo about the baby!"

"Okay, when you want to go to Hogwarts?", replied her husband after a brief hesitation

She placed herself in the doorway to the bathroom and crossed her arms over her chest: "Wrong question, my dear."

Her husband stopped with shaving and gave her a questioning look through the mirror.

Silently, she lifted an eyebrow.

He pointed to himself: "I should tell them about it?"

"It?"

"Of the pregnancy.", Ron saved himself.

"Exactly, you're going to tell them!" She turned around, to get dressed.

Thoughtfully, he looked in the mirror and mumbled "Or I could just send them an owl."

"I've heard, and the answer is no." came the prompt reply of his wife from the next room.

**The next day in the Gryffindor common room**

Ron stretched his legs out and looked contentedly around the common room.

"Feels like home, right?"

Ron grinned: "And any moment comes Harry through the portrait hole."

Neville nodded: "No matter how many years pass, I feel exactly the same."

"Dad?" suddenly came the questioning voice of his daughter behind his back.

Neville and Ron got up from their chair, they were faced by Ron's confused children, Rose and Hugo.

Neville winked at Ron: "I'll leave you alone. Good luck." and left the room.

"Yeah, I see you later in the Three Broomsticks!" Ron called him behind him.

"Dad, what's going on?"

"Uh, well, your mother, I mean.."

Impatient called his daughter: "Dad!"

"Your mother is pregnant!"

Hugo's eyes widened and he stuttered: "But Henley's is still a baby."

His sister rolled her eyes: "So what? Grandmother Molly became pregnant with Aunt Ginny, when Dad was 8 months old and Henley's been only 2 months younger."

Hugo stared horrified at his sister.

Rose ignored him and asked Ron curiously: "When is the due date? It's a girl or boy? I hope, this time I get a sister. Will be our house now also expanded, as the burrow?"

Thrilled by this idea Hugo's eyes lit up.

Ron raised his arms and laughed: "Stop, Rosie. Firstly, during May, secondly, we don't know yet and thirdly..."He ruffled Hugo's hair, "sorry mate, definitely not!"

However, his son did not give up: "Now maybe not, but you should already be thinking of the next or next baby. And when Rose marries and gets babies, we need more space!"

Rose stuck out her chin proudly: "I will never ever get married! Marriage is old-fashioned and outdated and a modern woman needs no man, to survive in the world."

Hugo snickered: "Unless, his name is Sco…"

Rose blushed and kept his mouth shut with her hand, to prevent him from speaking further.

Their father shook his head: "More children are not planned in our family. I don't want to appear with a walking stick at the graduation ceremony of my last child.", he joked, "and Hugo, I hope, after Hogwarts, you are looking for your own place."

* * *

Ron had crept on tiptoe in the nursery and stopped at Henley's cot. Full of love, he watched a few minutes his gentle breathing, before he quietly left the room.

When he opened the door to the bedroom, his wife dropped her journal and asked eagerly: "And, how they have taken it?"

He sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed his tired eyes: "Surprisingly an easy-going."

"No embarrassing remarks?"

"Thanks to Merlin, no! Besides, this part has already covered my brother George."

He let himself fall backwards on the bed and closed his eyes. His wife ran with her hand gently through his hair. Ron grumbled contentedly, until he remembered something. He opened his eyes and looked at his wife: "Told you Rose something about a boy, whom she fancy?

His wife flushed: "How do you get that idea?"

"That's not nice, Mrs. Weasley, to answer a question with a question! But to answer **your** question, Hugo has something mentioned."

"Honestly, your son is worse than a gossip merchant!"

"So?"

Hermione looked at him uncertainly: "I promised her, not to tell you about it."

He shrugged his shoulders: "Is fine, I know it already, but I can't recall his name, it was Sco.. ", he looked pensively into the distance, "Scott or Scooter or something like that."

"Scorpius.", his wife burst out.

His triumphant smile vanished and he cried in horror: "SCORPIUS, like Scorpius Malfoy?"

She patted his hair soothingly: "Come on, love, it's just a little crush" – He looked at her doubtfully. – "Which is quite normal at that age."

Her husband nodded relieved: "Yeah, you are right, our Rosie is moreover only 13.", and added with a grin, "I remember, that you had at this age a crush on Lockie."

Forcefully, she shoved him with both hands, so that he fell with a loud thump next to the bed: "His name is Gilderoy Lockhart and I did not have a crush on him!" – A laugh came from beside the bed. – Blushed, she glanced over the edge at her man: "And what about you and Madame Rosmerta?"

Ron rested his head on his elbows and sighed exaggerated dreamily: "Hmm, Madame Rosmerta."

His wife gave him a gloomy glance and snapped: "How old is she now? Seventy or more likely eighty?"

He raised his eyebrows "Do you think?". He rose from the floor: "Wow, then I can only say, for her age, she still looks extremely good."

Hermione watched with narrowed eyes, as he took a fresh pajama pants from the dresser: "How do you know?"

"Neville and I went today in the Three Broomsticks, and you will not believe it, Madame Rosmerta is still the landlady and needs not even a walking cane." He disappeared into the bathroom, to hide his grin.

When he returned from the bathroom, his wife glared at him with a furrowed brow.

Undeterred, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and rolled over on his side.

"On the other hand…", whispered his wife thoughtfully.

He mumbled sleepily: "On the other hand what?"

"Rose met Scorpius on the train to Hogwarts…."

Ron blinked: "Yeah, I know."

She fell silent.

He glanced over his shoulder.

She smirked: "And since I met my future husband on the train to Hogwarts…"

Appalled, Ron's eyes widened: "Bloody hell, you are right."

Hermione rolled to the side and called: "Good night, love, I hope, you sleep well." and thought to herself: "Take that, Ronald Weasley. Madame Rosmerta, extremely good-looking, pshaw, don't make me laugh!"

"Sleep, how am I supposed to sleep now?"

* * *

Dr. Alice Edison moved slowly the transducers over Hermione's stomach: "So, let's take a look at the fetus….., perfect heartbeat, ooh!" Her eyes grew wide and she looked intently at the screen.

Ron tried desperately to see something on the screen, while Hermione paled and squeezed his hand hard: "Is something wrong with our baby?"

Her gynecologist turned the screen to the side, so that Hermione had a better view. She smiled: "I see two heart sounds!" Ron looked puzzled at her and then at the screen. Hermione's eyes widened and she whispered, stunned: "Twins." Ron gulped.

Dr. Edison nodded cheerfully: "And how it looks, identical twins."

The future parents of twins, lying side by side on the bed, stared in disbelief at the ceiling.

"Bloody hell, twins!"

"On top of that, identical."

"Perhaps we should consider for me a vase-what's-his-name."

Hermione turned to face her husband with raised eyebrows: "A vasectomy? You already know, that a vasectomy is a surgical procedure?"

He gave his wife a wry smile: "Or maybe there's for this a simple and painless spell."

She looked again at the ceiling and repeated in disbelief: "Twins!"

"Merlin, help us."

* * *

Hermione sat with her camera on the carpet and watched full of pride, how her son excited crawled through the room, as her sister-in-law appeared out of the fireplace. In a jiffy her brother, who – according to his apron – prepared just the food, rushed into the room. Ginny eyed briefly the apron with the inscription 'a loving woman helps the man – to tie on the apron' and lowered herself with a sigh into the chair: "I just don't understand, still nothing. Usually Harry had no problems, to get me pregnant.." – Her brother coughed uncomfortably. – "Shut up, you hypocrite. To my knowledge, your five children are not created by some miracle." Ron blushed up to the hair roots and walked grumbling out of the living room.

"Ginny, let my poor man alone." Hermione scolded, however, with a twinkle.

Ginny picked her nephew up and smiled sadly: "I'm just jealous."

"Oh Ginny, just be patient, it'll work."

"Hopefully. Until then, any tips, mother bear?"

"Only one, relaxation – hey, what do you think of a girls weekend before the kids get back from Hogwarts?"

Her friend beamed and clapped her hands: "Awesome Idea, only we women, without our men…." – "Just lazing around.." – "Viewing tearjerkers….." – "Eat a giant package chocolate ice cream!" – "And sleep, just sleep." Both sighed longingly.

**With the men (and Henley) **

George wiped the tears of laughter from his face, while Harry tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face.

Ron looked questioningly at Percy, who pointed silently to the baby monitor. Horrified Ron closed his eyes briefly.

Bill winked: "At least he's sleeping now, our twinkle, twinkle little star!" The men, except for Ron, broke into a roar of laughter.

"Really funny!", Ron grumbled.

Harry wrapped an arm around Ron's shoulder: "Mate, I think, you have still a magnificent singing voice."

**With the women**

Angeline wiped her tears of laughter from her face: "I did not know, that Ron can so good sing and, moreover, in front of audiences."

Hermione turned off the TV and grinned: "Your husband was not bad either."

"Why have I never seen the movie from Ron's bachelor party until this day?"

"You know our men, they make an Unbreakable Vow or something, that no one – thus are we – ever learns from their karaoke-night. Fortunately, Dean's wife recently found this DVD and since she is a friend of Hannah, voilà, now I have also a copy."

"Ron has already seen the film?" Fleur asked curious.

Hermione waved off: "Nay, I'll wait therewith until our anniversary." She grabbed her bag and saw questioningly into the round: "Anyone who would like a chocolate frog, chocolate cauldrons, sugar quill or Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?".

"Do you have Honeydukes plundered?", Audrey asked jokingly

Her sister-in-law grinned: "No, but Ron's oh so good secret hiding."

"Ron hid really his sweets?" – Hermione nodded.

Angelina wrinkled her nose: "And my husband hides his favorite socks, which are already total .."

A loud snoring interrupted the conversation.

Audrey nudged her sister-in-law, Ginny: "Wake up, you sleepy head."

Ginny muttered without opening her eyes: "Not now, Harry."

The women looked at each other and giggled.

**On the next day**

In search of her husband and son, Hermione opened the door to the bathroom. And actually, Ron sat with a very happy Henley in the bathtub.

Clumsily, she plopped down next to the tub: "Hello, my two men, do you have fun?"

Henley, with big beaming eyes and a sparkling crown on his head, kicked his legs and babbled his baby gibberish.

His parents laughed and Hermione tapped her son on the tip of his nose: "This probably means yes!" She leaned her head on her arm and looked searchingly at her husband, who yawned heartily: "It seems, you had only a short night."

Tiredly, Ron watched Henley, as he sucked on his arm: "I'm definitely too old for a slumber party." He scratched thoughtful his chin: "And I think, I promised Harry one of our babies."

She grinned: "Alright for me, if they are boys!"

"And when they are girls?"

Hermione replied with a snort: "And give away the opportunity, to have the outnumbering? – No way!."

* * *

The kettle was full of vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and her mouth watered. Just when she was about to lick the ice from a large spoon, Ginny shook her shoulder so hard, that the ice fell from the spoon. Annoyed, she took a new spoon from the kettle. However, Ginny keeps on and on: "Wake up!" Until Hermione finally woke up.

Confused, she looked around. Next to her knelt a, judging by the tears, deeply unhappy Ginny. Laboriously, Hermione leaned on her elbows and demanded excitedly: "Ginny, what's going on?"

Ginny sobbed: "What's going on? I'll tell you, what's going on, your brother-in-law, Harry Dumbass Potter had an affair!"

"That's bullshit!", came the voice of her brother from the fireplace.

Angrily Ginny spun around: "Oh yeah? The facts speak for themselves."

Ron wiped the ashes of his clothing and snorted: "Which facts? Did he forget to bring along flowers for you?"

"You.."

"Enough!", Hermione cried, "Behave yourselves like adults!"

"I am not behaving childish, but she…."

"Exactly, listen to your wife and grown up, you..".

Hermione hissed: "If you both are not immediately shut up, I'll use 'Levicorpus', you understand!"

Ron folded his arms over his chest and fell silent, while Ginny nodded.

Relieved, Hermione directed her word to her husband: "Love, you speak with Harry and try to find out, what happened."

Her husband nodded and glanced at his sister: "Hey Sis, I know, Harry loves you more than anything, but if he should have an affair, I'll break him every bone."

Ginny laughed through her tears: "Promise?"

"Promise!" He took a handful of Floo powder and disappeared in the Floo Network.

Hermione shook her head and scolded : "You two are simply hopeless!".

* * *

Ginny blew her nose into her handkerchief: "He comes late from work, is constantly tried, the other day he has slept in James room and last night he was not able …", she blushed, "to do the act!"

"Sorry, Ginny, this time I have to agree with my husband, that is bullshit. As you know, my husband is a sensitive contributor and cannot always shake off his troubles at the bedroom door. So it happens sometimes..", Hermione blushed also, "that his spirit is willing, but his flesh is weak."

Her friend made a face: "This was not the first time, but since we are trying for a baby, he had no problems with it."

"Perhaps this is the problem!"

"You mean, that we are trying?"

"Accurately, maybe you both should take a break."

"But we desperately want another baby and time is running out!"

"Ginny, you remember, that I had great difficulty to get pregnant?"

Ginny smiled crookedly: "Says the woman, who is for the 4th times pregnant!"

Hermione blushed: "Right, as you can see, now no longer, but before Rose. At the beginning, the trying was fun, but after a while, all our spontaneity was lost and our love life revolved only around my cycle - till our big row!" – "As usual!" – "Among other your brother accused me, to need him only as a 'breeding stallion'. Long story short, one word led to another, I slept in my parents' house and Ron in the flat over George's shop. The next morning my mother gave me the advice, that we should take a break and instead to go on a second honeymoon. Said and done, nine months later we had Rose."

* * *

Harry sat with bowed head on the sofa: "It's my fault, that she thinks I'm having an affair."

Ron slapped him encouragingly on the knee: "Time for a talk, come on."

Harry looked up and lifted his eyebrow: "Are you sure? Eventually, it's about your sister and few things are, uh, very intimate."

Ron shrugged his shoulders: "Well, what's the problem, we're adults, right!"

"Okay, if you mean. The problems began, when we are trying for a baby.."

Panicked, Ron raised his hand: "Wait, Harry, maybe it's better, that you use different names!"

Relieved, Harry nodded: "Good idea. Acquaintances of mine, Larry and…", he thought for a moment, as his friend with a grin suggested: "Minerva!".

Harry grimaced and threw a sofa cushion at Ron: "Larry and Minerva, my ass."

"How about Winnie?"

"Much better. Also, Larry and Winnie are trying for a baby."

Ron nodded, satisfied, and waved: "Go on."

"After weeks Winnie was still not pregnant and so both decided, even more.."

"To try."

"Yeah. On some days, even several times." Harry blushed.

Ron's eyes went wide and he stuttered: "S..serval times? Even during working?" – Harry opened his mouth, to respond him, but Ron cried: "Please don't answer this!"

"After a month or so, Larry was at the end of his strength.."

His friend snickered: "Understandably."

"And he wanted only to sleep. In the hope, that Winnie sleeps, when he came home, he worked until late into the night."

Ron raised his eyebrow, but said nothing.

Harry looked at his hands: " And to top it all, last night, Larry and Winnie were going, uh, to make love..."

Ron blushed.

"But Larry could not…"

"Huh?"

Harry whispered: "To man up."

"Oh, shit!"

Harry gave Ron a wary glance: "Did you ever.."

Ron rubbed his neck: "Once, twice.."

"Me too."

Both laughed sheepishly.

**02, April**

Exhausted, Ron leaned with his shoulder against the wall of the elevator. He glanced at his wristwatch: "Bloody hell, already so late." Impatiently, he waited for his exit floor. When the elevator door finally opened, stood there, to his surprise, Kingsley and his obviously nervous father.

As he stepped with the other employees out of the elevator, his father breathed audibly and Kingsley called: "That you're. We have been looking for you for hours."

Confused, he looked from Kingsley to his father: "I was due to a presentation at the Academy. What's going on?"

Arthur grabbed his arm and dragged him back into the elevator: "Come on, Ron, your wife needs you."

Ron paled and he croaked: "Don't say, the babies coming."

Before the door closed again, Kingsley waved and shouted, "Good luck!"

"This means…" – His father nodded enthusiastically. – "But it's too early."

His father patted him reassuringly on the back: "This is completely normal for twin births. Besides Hermione and the babies are in the Muggle hospital in very good hands, don't you think."

"Oh shit, Dad, I almost forgot, we must first pick the car from home and ..."

"Calm down, my son, Kingsley makes sure, that outside already a taxi waiting for us."

Ron closed his eyes and nodded.

* * *

Ron took a deep breath, before he the door to Hermione's room opened. As he approached her bed, he noticed, that his wife was sleeping. He looked around the room, but there were no baby cots.

"They are now still on observation station." suddenly mumbled a sleepy Hermione. Ron's heart beats faster and he'd the feeling, if he does not quickly sat down, that his legs would give way. When she saw his expression, she added quickly: "Which is standard for premature babies." Facilitates, Ron pushed a deep breath out and plopped down on the chair.

She beckoned him to her and he pulled the chair closer to the bed: "I'm sorry, that you had to get through this alone." Hermione grabbed his hand and placed it to her cheek: "I was not alone, my parents and your mom were here with me." She smiled fondly: "Besides, you could not help it, that our babies did not want to wait for their daddy!"

He brushed a sweaty curl behind her ear: "However, this does not prevent me, that I feel guilty, that I was not there, when the caesar was carried. Most likely I would be passed out, but I'd been there."

Hermione laughed, but right after that, her face grimaced in pain: "Ouch." – Concerned, he looked at her. – "I'm fine, the wound from the caesarean hurts a little, when I laugh." – "Do you need a healing potion?" – "No, but to a healing kiss, I would not.." Her husband bent forward and gave her a tender kiss.

Afterwards, he winked at her: "So, our twins could not wait for their daddy, I have the bad feeling, here are new troublemakers in the making."

She grinned mischievously: "But with a decisive difference."

He glanced at her questioningly.

She frowned: "You don't even know the sex of our babies?"

Her husband smiled sheepishly: "After 'your wife and the babies are doing well' I have probably switched off."

"Okay, daddy, I'm happy, to tell you… ", she beamed full of happiness, "that we have two healthy girls."

* * *

*** any name suggestions? ***


End file.
